EKO COMPOST, INC.

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, EKO COMPOST, INC. — a fertilizer (mixing only) manufacturing facility located at 1125 CLARK FORK LANE, MISSOULA, MT 59802 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 18 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $12,250.00. The inspection case was opened on 2003-04-15.

The volume of citations issued during this inspection suggests systematic compliance deficiencies rather than isolated incidents. Facilities with 10 or more citations typically face comprehensive abatement requirements and may be subject to follow-up inspections.

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.

EPA Environmental Record: The EPA shows no current violations for this facility. regulated under: Clean Water Act. Source: EPA ECHO database.

Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $12,250.00 is 46% above the national average of $8,414.32 for facilities in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS 325314). This sector encompasses 52,095 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $438.3M.

State Context: Within MT, this facility's penalty places it at the 98th percentile among 9,480 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $2,110.71.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 18 citations spanning 8 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 14 serious — A workplace hazard that could cause death or serious physical harm exists, and the employer knew or should have known about the condition. 1 other-than-serious — The violation has a direct relationship to job safety and health but is unlikely to cause death or serious physical harm.

Enforcement Timeline: Citations were issued beginning June 6, 2003 with the latest abatement deadline set for June 19, 2003. Of the 18 total citations, 15 (83%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, indicating substantial compliance with corrective action requirements.

Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $12,250.00 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 $680.56 falls within the standard penalty range.