HORSEHEAD CORPORATION
According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, HORSEHEAD CORPORATION — a secondary smelting, refining, and alloying of nonferrous metal (except copper and aluminum) facility located at 900 DELAWARE AVENUE, PALMERTON, PA 18071 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 171 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $1,137,093.25. The inspection case was opened on 2016-06-23.
Cumulative penalties significantly exceed the national median for OSHA enforcement actions. The penalty amount suggests multiple high-gravity citations, indicating conditions that presented a substantial probability of death or serious physical harm to employees.
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 $1,137,093.25 is more than 176.7× the national average of $6,436.62 for facilities in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS 331492). This sector encompasses 82,943 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $533.9M.
State Context: Within PA, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 84,409 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $3,015.83.
Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 171 citations spanning 8 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. 10 unclassified — A technical violation that does not fit neatly into the standard classification categories. 2 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 6, 1991 with the latest abatement deadline set for May 31, 2007. Of the 171 total citations, 13 (8%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, which may indicate ongoing compliance gaps requiring further regulatory attention.
Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $1,137,093.25 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 $6,649.67 falls within the standard penalty range.
The inspection of Horsehead Corporation’s Palmerton facility revealed a staggering breakdown of
This facility's $1,137,093 penalty is higher than 99% of all penalized companies in the NAICS 331492 industry in PA. The state average penalty for this industry is $76,639.
Comparing penalized facilities in PALMERTON, PA (Exact Industry)
Explore more: OSHA enforcement in PALMERTON · Pennsylvania data · Search the database · Incident Rate Calculator
What OSHA violations was HORSEHEAD CORPORATION cited for?
HORSEHEAD CORPORATION received 171 citation(s) covering 8 distinct OSHA standards. Total proposed penalties were $1,137,093.25. The inspection opened on 2016-06-23.
How much was HORSEHEAD CORPORATION fined by OSHA?
OSHA proposed penalties of $1,137,093.25 against HORSEHEAD CORPORATION in PALMERTON, PA. Average per citation: $6,649.67.
Is HORSEHEAD CORPORATION a safe workplace?
Based on enforcement records, HORSEHEAD CORPORATION has a risk score of 65 out of 100. Cumulative penalties significantly exceed the national median for OSHA enforcement actions. The penalty amount suggests multiple high-gravity citations, indicating conditions that presented a substantial probability of death or serious physical harm to employees.
How does this penalty compare to the industry average?
The average penalty for Secondary Smelting, Refining, and Alloying of Nonferrous Metal (except Copper and Aluminum) facilities is $6,436.62. This facility penalty of $1,137,093.25 is above the industry average.