ELIZABETH IRON WORKS INC
According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, ELIZABETH IRON WORKS INC — a industry sector 00 facility located at DIRKSEN OFFICE BUILDING 2ND &, Washington, DC 20002 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 17 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $53,500.00. The inspection case was opened on 1978-10-02.
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 $53,500.00 is more than 44.7× the national average of $1,195.75 for facilities in the Other sector (NAICS 000000). This sector encompasses 1,316,687 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $1,574.4M.
State Context: Within DC, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 8,873 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $1,815.69.
Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 17 citations spanning 9 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 10 serious — A workplace hazard that could cause death or serious physical harm exists, and the employer knew or should have known about the condition. 5 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 31, 1979 with the latest abatement deadline set for March 20, 1979. Of the 17 total citations, 15 (88%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, indicating substantial compliance with corrective action requirements.
Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $53,500.00 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 $3,147.06 falls within the standard penalty range.
The 1978 inspection of Elizabeth Iron Works at the Dirksen Office Building revealed a catastrophic breakdown in safety management, characterized by a systemic