HARDINGE INC.

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, HARDINGE INC. — a metalworking machinery manufacturing facility located at 1 HARDINGE DRIVE, ELMIRA, NY 14903 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 32 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $30,561.15. The inspection case was opened on 2004-11-09.

The volume of citations issued during this inspection suggests systematic compliance deficiencies rather than isolated incidents. Facilities with 10 or more citations typically face comprehensive abatement requirements and may be subject to follow-up inspections.

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 $30,561.15 is more than 4.7× the national average of $6,436.62 for facilities in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS 333512). This sector encompasses 82,943 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $533.9M.

State Context: Within NY, this facility's penalty places it at the 99th percentile among 140,736 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $2,208.33.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 32 citations spanning 9 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 15 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 January 14, 2005 with the latest abatement deadline set for February 16, 2005. Of the 32 total citations, 7 (22%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, which may indicate ongoing compliance gaps requiring further regulatory attention.

Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $30,561.15 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 $955.04 falls within the standard penalty range.

The 2004 inspection of Hardinge Inc.’s Elmira facility revealed a pervasive breakdown in fundamental safety management systems, evidenced by 32 citations and a penalty exceeding $30,000—a substantial figure for the mid-2000s manufacturing sector. The citation pattern identifies a systemic failure to control mechanical hazards, specifically within the realm of machine guarding (Subpart O) and materials handling (Subpart N). For