HODGDON POWDER CO., INC.

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, HODGDON POWDER CO., INC. — a industry sector 00 facility located at 6335 LIND, SHAWNEE, KS 66217 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 9 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $31,700.00. The inspection case was opened on 1994-02-23.

DOL records document workplace safety violations warranting formal citation under the OSH Act. While classified at the standard enforcement level, all OSHA citations require corrective action and may indicate areas where workplace safety programs should be strengthened.

State Context: Within KS, this facility's penalty places it at the 99th percentile among 19,826 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $3,225.89.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 9 citations spanning 5 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 4 serious — A workplace hazard that could cause death or serious physical harm exists, and the employer knew or should have known about the condition. 3 other-than-serious — The violation has a direct relationship to job safety and health but is unlikely to cause death or serious physical harm. 2 unclassified — A technical violation that does not fit neatly into the standard classification categories.

Enforcement Timeline: Citations were issued beginning August 18, 1994 with the latest abatement deadline set for October 24, 1994. Of the 9 total citations, 9 (100%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, indicating substantial compliance with corrective action requirements.

Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $31,700.00 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 $3,522.22 falls within the standard penalty range.

The 1994 enforcement action against Hodgdon Powder Co., Inc. revealed a high-risk operational environment characterized by fundamental failures in hazardous materials management and personal protection. The presence of Section 5(a)(1) General Duty Clause violations, carrying a maximum gravity rating of 10 and a substantial $18,000 penalty, signifies that OSHA identified recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm for which no specific standard existed, or where existing standards were insufficient to address the volatility of the facility’s explosive-related processes. This was compounded by severe deficiencies in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) standards under 1910.132(a), which also received a maximum gravity rating, indicating that workers were systematically exposed to life-threatening thermal or chemical risks without adequate defensive barriers. The citation pattern further demonstrates a systemic breakdown in Hazard Communication (1910.1200) and the handling of flammable liquids and explosives (1910.106 and 1910.109). While the individual penalties for chemical labeling and Safety Data Sheet (SDS) availability were lower, their aggregate presence suggests a workforce largely uninformed about the specific lethalities of their environment. The $31,700 total penalty was exceptionally high for the mid-1990s regulatory landscape, reflecting the extreme "gravity" assigned to the violations. This was not a case of isolated clerical oversight but a comprehensive failure to implement a safety culture capable of managing the inherent dangers of propellant and powder manufacturing.