HEARTLAND CATFISH COMPANY

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, HEARTLAND CATFISH COMPANY — a frozen specialty food manufacturing facility located at 55001 HIGHWAY 82 WEST, ITTA BENA, MS 38941 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 5 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $137,590.00. The inspection case was opened on 2023-01-10.

This facility represents one of the most severe enforcement actions in the OSHA SVEP database. Willful violations combined with penalties exceeding $100,000 indicate a pattern of deliberate non-compliance that poses an imminent danger to workers.

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 $137,590.00 is more than 16.1× the national average of $8,527.19 for facilities in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS 311412). This sector encompasses 24,420 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $208.2M.

State Context: Within MS, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 15,959 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $2,620.02.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 5 citations spanning 3 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 3 serious — A workplace hazard that could cause death or serious physical harm exists, and the employer knew or should have known about the condition. 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. 1 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 April 27, 2023 with the latest abatement deadline set for June 12, 2023. Of the 5 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 $27,518.00 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 Heartland Catfish Company reveals a deeply concerning disconnect between recognized industrial hazards and management’s safety obligations, centered on a high-gravity willful violation of 29 CFR 1910.28(b)(1)(i). By classifying the