CENEX HARVEST STATES, INC. (AKA CHS INC.)
According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, CENEX HARVEST STATES, INC. (AKA CHS INC.) — a farm product warehousing and storage facility located at 420 CLOUGH AVE., COLUMBUS, MT 59019 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 13 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $120,000.00. The inspection case was opened on 2011-03-10.
Cumulative penalties significantly exceed the national median for OSHA enforcement actions. The penalty amount suggests multiple high-gravity citations, indicating conditions that presented a substantial probability of death or serious physical harm to employees.
BLS Injury Data: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022), this industry sector has an occupational injury rate of 4.6 per 100 full-time workers — 70% above the national average of 2.7. The sector fatality rate is 14.0 per 100,000 workers.
Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $120,000.00 is more than 21.6× the national average of $5,543.54 for facilities in the Transportation sector (NAICS 493130). This sector encompasses 12,040 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $66.7M.
State Context: Within MT, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 9,480 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $2,110.71.
Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 13 citations spanning 5 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 11 serious — A workplace hazard that could cause death or serious physical harm exists, and the employer knew or should have known about the condition. 2 repeat — A substantially similar violation was found during a previous inspection and the original citation has become a final order.
Enforcement Timeline: Citations were issued beginning September 2, 2011 with the latest abatement deadline set for August 12, 2013. Of the 13 total citations, 0 (0%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, which may indicate ongoing compliance gaps requiring further regulatory attention.
Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $120,000.00 reflects OSHA's gravity-based penalty calculation methodology, which considers the severity of potential injury, the probability of occurrence, the employer's size, good faith, and violation history. The per-citation average of $9,230.77 falls within the standard penalty range.
The 2011 enforcement action against this CHS Inc. grain storage facility revealed a
This facility's $120,000 penalty is higher than 99% of all penalized companies in the NAICS 493130 industry in MT. The state average penalty for this industry is $21,786.
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What OSHA violations was CENEX HARVEST STATES, INC. (AKA CHS INC.) cited for?
CENEX HARVEST STATES, INC. (AKA CHS INC.) received 13 citation(s) covering 5 distinct OSHA standards. Total proposed penalties were $120,000.00. The inspection opened on 2011-03-10.
How much was CENEX HARVEST STATES, INC. (AKA CHS INC.) fined by OSHA?
OSHA proposed penalties of $120,000.00 against CENEX HARVEST STATES, INC. (AKA CHS INC.) in COLUMBUS, MT. Average per citation: $9,230.77.
Is CENEX HARVEST STATES, INC. (AKA CHS INC.) a safe workplace?
Based on enforcement records, CENEX HARVEST STATES, INC. (AKA CHS INC.) has a risk score of 55 out of 100. Cumulative penalties significantly exceed the national median for OSHA enforcement actions. The penalty amount suggests multiple high-gravity citations, indicating conditions that presented a substantial probability of death or serious physical harm to employees.
How does this penalty compare to the industry average?
The average penalty for Farm Product Warehousing and Storage facilities is $5,543.54. This facility penalty of $120,000.00 is above the industry average.