HIGH LINER FOODS (USA), INC.

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, HIGH LINER FOODS (USA), INC. — a seafood product preparation and packaging facility located at 1 HIGH LINER AVENUE, PORTSMOUTH, NH 03801 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 17 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $102,750.00. The inspection case was opened on 2009-12-01.

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.

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

Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $102,750.00 is more than 12.0× the national average of $8,527.19 for facilities in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS 311712). This sector encompasses 24,420 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $208.2M.

State Context: Within NH, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 12,674 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $3,397.44.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 17 citations spanning 4 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 4 other-than-serious — The violation has a direct relationship to job safety and health but is unlikely to cause death or serious physical harm. 8 serious — A workplace hazard that could cause death or serious physical harm exists, and the employer knew or should have known about the condition. 2 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 repeat — A substantially similar violation was found during a previous inspection and the original citation has become a final order.

Enforcement Timeline: Citations were issued beginning May 27, 2010 with the latest abatement deadline set for August 31, 2010. Of the 17 total citations, 13 (76%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, suggesting partial progress toward required corrective actions.

Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $102,750.00 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 $6,044.12 falls within the standard penalty range.

The 2009 enforcement action against High Liner Foods reveals a critical breakdown in Process Safety Management (