ELBERTA CRATE & BOX COMPANY

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, ELBERTA CRATE & BOX COMPANY — a manufacturing facility located at 606 DOTHAN HIGHWAY, BAINBRIDGE, GA 39818 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 1 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $77,601.60. The inspection case was opened on 2017-07-26.

Federal investigators determined that one or more violations at this facility were committed willfully — meaning the employer either knowingly failed to comply with OSHA standards or acted with plain indifference to employee safety. Willful violations carry the highest penalty multipliers under the OSH Act.

Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $77,601.60 is more than 9.2× the national average of $8,414.32 for facilities in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS 321920). This sector encompasses 52,095 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $438.3M.

State Context: Within GA, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 48,956 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $3,799.18.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 1 citations spanning 1 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 1 willful — The employer intentionally and knowingly committed the violation, demonstrating either an intentional disregard for the requirements of the OSH Act or plain indifference to employee safety and health.

Enforcement Timeline: Citations were issued beginning January 19, 2018 with the latest abatement deadline set for February 14, 2018. Of the 1 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 per-citation average of $77,601.60 exceeds OSHA's FY2024 statutory maximum of $16,131 for serious violations, indicating the presence of willful or repeat classifications that carry enhanced penalty authority under Section 17 of the OSH Act.

The inspection of Elberta Crate & Box Company revealed a singular, high-gravity Willful violation of 29 CFR 1910.219(f)(3), a standard governing the guarding of sprockets and chains. In the context of wood container manufacturing, where high-speed mechanical power-transmission apparatuses are ubiquitous, the failure to enclose these components exposed workers to catastrophic entanglement, crushing, and amputation hazards. The "Will