GATES CORPORATION

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, GATES CORPORATION — a fluid power valve and hose fitting manufacturing facility located at 700 EAST REDWOOD BOULEVARD, BRANDON, SD 57005 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 1 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $63,382.00. The inspection case was opened on 2023-10-18.

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.

Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $63,382.00 is more than 9.8× the national average of $6,436.62 for facilities in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS 332912). This sector encompasses 82,943 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $533.9M.

State Context: Within SD, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 6,675 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $2,764.62.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 1 citations spanning 1 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 1 serious — A workplace hazard that could cause death or serious physical harm exists, and the employer knew or should have known about the condition.

Enforcement Timeline: Citations were issued beginning February 14, 2024 with the latest abatement deadline set for March 12, 2024. 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 $63,382.00 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 enforcement action against Gates Corporation underscores a critical failure in fundamental machine safeguarding protocols within a high-precision manufacturing