FLORENCE HARDWOODS, LLC

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, FLORENCE HARDWOODS, LLC — a sawmills facility located at 5843 TOWER DR., FLORENCE, WI 54121 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 48 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $1,351,658.00. The inspection case was opened on 2023-06-29.

Cumulative penalties significantly exceed the national median for OSHA enforcement actions. The penalty amount suggests multiple high-gravity citations, indicating conditions that presented a substantial probability of death or serious physical harm to employees.

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 $1,351,658.00 is more than 160.6× the national average of $8,414.32 for facilities in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS 321113). This sector encompasses 52,095 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $438.3M.

State Context: Within WI, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 43,331 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $3,505.68.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 48 citations spanning 9 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 13 serious — A workplace hazard that could cause death or serious physical harm exists, and the employer knew or should have known about the condition. 2 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 January 15, 2020 with the latest abatement deadline set for February 13, 2020. Of the 48 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 $28,159.54 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 staggering $1.35 million penalty levied against Florence Hardwoods, LLC, represents an extraordinary enforcement action within the sawmilling industry, signaling a catastrophic breakdown in safety management systems. The sheer volume of citations—48 in total—coupled with high-gravity ratings for Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) and machine guarding standards, points to a workplace where lethal mechanical hazards were treated as routine operational conditions. By specifically citing 1910.147 (Lockout/Tagout) and 1910.265 (Sawmill-specific conveyor safety), OSHA identified a systemic failure to protect workers from the "caught-in" and "crushing" hazards inherent in high-torque timber processing equipment. The presence of multiple serious violations with maximum gravity scores suggests that management was likely aware of these life-threatening deficiencies but failed to implement basic engineering controls or training. In the context of the sawmill industry, where the average penalty typically ranges from $5,000 to $20,000, this seven-figure assessment indicates the application of egregious-willful or repeat multipliers. Such a massive financial penalty often serves as a precursor to placement in the Severe Violator Enforcement Program (SVEP). Furthermore, given the gravity of these findings, the documentation establishes a foundation for potential criminal referral under the Occupational Safety and Health Act if any of these willful failures resulted in a worker fatality, as it demonstrates a "plain indifference" to human life that transcends mere negligence.