FEDERATED-WEINER METALS - A COOKSON GROUP CO.

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, FEDERATED-WEINER METALS - A COOKSON GROUP CO. — a industry sector 00 facility located at 14350 S. GARFIELD AVENUE, PARAMOUNT, CA 90723 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 53 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $217,600.00. The inspection case was opened on 1988-04-28.

This facility represents one of the most severe enforcement actions in the OSHA SVEP database. Willful violations combined with penalties exceeding $100,000 indicate a pattern of deliberate non-compliance that poses an imminent danger to workers.

Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $217,600.00 is more than 182.0× 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 CA, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 184,062 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $3,010.44.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 53 citations spanning 2 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 12 serious — A workplace hazard that could cause death or serious physical harm exists, and the employer knew or should have known about the condition. 3 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 August 18, 1988 with the latest abatement deadline set for September 23, 1988. Of the 53 total citations, 15 (28%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, which may indicate ongoing compliance gaps requiring further regulatory attention.

Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $217,600.00 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 $4,105.66 falls within the standard penalty range.

The inspection of Federated-Weiner Metals revealed a catastrophic breakdown in industrial hygiene protocols, specifically regarding lead exposure management under 29 CFR 1910.1025. The assessment of $217,600 in penalties—an extraordinary sum for the late 1980s—underscored the severity of the facility's non-compliance. Most critical were the multiple willful violations cited under the medical surveillance and medical removal protection (MRP) standards. Legally, the willful designation demonstrated that management acted with either intentional disregard for OSHA requirements or plain indifference to worker health. In practical terms, the failure to adhere to biological monitoring and MRP requirements meant that employees were likely kept in high-lead environments even after their blood lead levels reached dangerous thresholds, significantly increasing their risk for chronic neurological, renal, and reproductive damage. The citation pattern suggests a systemic failure rather than isolated technical errors. By neglecting hazard communication and exposure monitoring alongside medical mandates, the employer effectively stripped workers of the tools and information