DUKE UNIVERSITY

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, DUKE UNIVERSITY — a colleges, universities, and professional schools facility located at LEVINE RESEARCH CENTER, DURHAM, NC 27710 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 9 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $24,500.00. The inspection case was opened on 2008-05-14.

DOL records document workplace safety violations warranting formal citation under the OSH Act. While classified at the standard enforcement level, all OSHA citations require corrective action and may indicate areas where workplace safety programs should be strengthened.

BLS Injury Data: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022), this industry sector has an occupational injury rate of 2.3 per 100 full-time workers — near the national average of 2.7. The sector fatality rate is 0.7 per 100,000 workers.

EPA Environmental Record: The EPA shows no current violations for this facility. regulated under: Clean Air Act, RCRA Hazardous Waste, Greenhouse Gas Reporting. Source: EPA ECHO database.

Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $24,500.00 is more than 13.4× the national average of $1,831.95 for facilities in the Education sector (NAICS 611310). This sector encompasses 10,394 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $19.0M.

State Context: Within NC, this facility's penalty places it at the 99th percentile among 88,256 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $1,699.39.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 9 citations spanning 5 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 9 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 November 12, 2008 with the latest abatement deadline set for December 31, 2008. Of the 9 total citations, 4 (44%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, which may indicate ongoing compliance gaps requiring further regulatory attention.

Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $24,500.00 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 $2,722.22 falls within the standard penalty range.

The enforcement action at Duke University’s Levine Research Center reveals a troubling nexus of egress failures and energy control deficiencies that indicates a systemic breakdown in institutional safety oversight