GRIFFIN BROS

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, GRIFFIN BROS — a wheat farming facility located at 16142 GRIFFIN LANE, SMITHFIELD, VA 23430 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 3 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $7,500.00. The inspection case was opened on 2009-05-15.

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.

BLS Injury Data: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022), this industry sector has an occupational injury rate of 5.2 per 100 full-time workers — 93% above the national average of 2.7. The sector fatality rate is 20.1 per 100,000 workers.

Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $7,500.00 is more than 2.6× the national average of $2,920.96 for facilities in the Agriculture sector (NAICS 111140). This sector encompasses 23,483 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $68.6M.

State Context: Within VA, this facility's penalty places it at the 94th percentile among 62,574 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $2,237.86.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 3 citations spanning 1 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 1 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. 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 November 5, 2009 with the latest abatement deadline set for November 13, 2009. Of the 3 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 total proposed penalty of $7,500.00 falls within OSHA's standard enforcement range and may have been adjusted through informal settlement conference procedures, penalty reduction factors, or good faith credit for demonstrated safety and health management systems.