CENTURY ALUMINUM OF WEST VIRGINIA, INC.

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, CENTURY ALUMINUM OF WEST VIRGINIA, INC. — a foundries facility located at ROUTE 2 SOUTH, RAVENSWOOD, WV 26164 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 59 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $50,110.00. The inspection case was opened on 2003-12-22.

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 3.3 per 100 full-time workers — 22% above the national average of 2.7. The sector fatality rate is 2.3 per 100,000 workers.

Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $50,110.00 is more than 7.8× the national average of $6,436.62 for facilities in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS 331522). This sector encompasses 82,943 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $533.9M.

State Context: Within WV, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 14,536 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $3,060.20.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 59 citations spanning 6 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 4 other-than-serious — The violation has a direct relationship to job safety and health but is unlikely to cause death or serious physical harm. 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.

Enforcement Timeline: Citations were issued beginning February 3, 2000 with the latest abatement deadline set for July 21, 2008. Of the 59 total citations, 12 (20%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, which may indicate ongoing compliance gaps requiring further regulatory attention.

Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $50,110.00 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 $849.32 falls within the standard penalty range.

The inspection of Century Aluminum’s Ravenswood facility revealed a pervasive breakdown in fundamental safety management, evidenced by a staggering 59 citations and over $50,000 in penalties. The enforcement record highlights a dangerous convergence of electrical hazards and poor industrial hygiene.