HENRY PRATT CO.

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, HENRY PRATT CO. — a other metal valve and pipe fitting manufacturing facility located at 401 S. HIGHLAND AVENUE, AURORA, IL 60506 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 18 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $21,000.00. The inspection case was opened on 2007-12-06.

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.

EPA Environmental Record: The EPA shows no current violations for this facility. regulated under: Clean Air Act, RCRA Hazardous Waste. Source: EPA ECHO database.

Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $21,000.00 is more than 3.3× the national average of $6,436.62 for facilities in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS 332919). This sector encompasses 82,943 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $533.9M.

State Context: Within IL, this facility's penalty places it at the 98th percentile among 88,899 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $3,496.90.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 18 citations spanning 10 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 4, 2008 with the latest abatement deadline set for February 13, 2008. Of the 18 total citations, 13 (72%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, suggesting partial progress toward required corrective actions.

Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $21,000.00 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 $1,166.67 falls within the standard penalty range.

The inspection of Henry Pratt Co. revealed a fragmented safety culture characterized by systemic failures in foundational hazard controls rather than isolated lapses. The citation density—18 violations spanning fire protection, hazardous materials, and machine guarding—indicates a pervasive breakdown in the facility’s safety management system. Of particular concern was the violation of 1910.212(a)(3)(ii), which carried the highest gravity rating, signaling that employees were exposed to severe amputation or crushing risks due to inadequate point-of-operation guarding. This physical hazard was compounded by deficiencies in lockout/tagout (LOTO) inspection protocols (1910.147) and industrial truck safety (1910.178), suggesting that the employer failed to integrate mechanical safety with operational training. The concurrent violations involving flammable liquid storage (1910.106) and spray finishing (1910.107) further underscore a significant fire and explosion risk profile. For a metal valve manufacturing environment, these infractions represent a failure to control ignition sources and volatile atmospheres. While the $21,000 penalty may appear moderate by modern adjusted standards, the breadth of "Serious" classifications across multiple regulatory subparts reflects a facility operating with significant gaps in its Hazard Communication and life safety programs. The aggregate data suggests a reactive compliance posture where routine maintenance and administrative oversight failed to keep pace with the inherent industrial risks of the operation.