GEORGE KOUNTOUPES PAINTING CO.

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, GEORGE KOUNTOUPES PAINTING CO. — a industry sector 00 facility located at TILGHMAN AND HAUSMAN ROAD, ALLENTOWN, PA 18106 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 33 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $77,500.00. The inspection case was opened on 1997-04-30.

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.

State Context: Within PA, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 84,409 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $3,015.83.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 33 citations spanning 2 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 13 unclassified — A technical violation that does not fit neatly into the standard classification categories. 2 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 October 22, 1997 with the latest abatement deadline set for November 25, 1997. Of the 33 total citations, 15 (45%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, which may indicate ongoing compliance gaps requiring further regulatory attention.

Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $77,500.00 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 $2,348.48 falls within the standard penalty range.

The 1997 enforcement action against George Kountoupes Painting Co. represents a severe administrative crackdown on systemic failures regarding lead exposure in the construction industry. With 33 citations and a substantial $77,500 penalty—adjusted for inflation, an exceptionally high figure for the era—the record reveals a wholesale disregard for