HUNTINGTON INGALLS INCORPORATED
According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, HUNTINGTON INGALLS INCORPORATED — a industry sector 00 facility located at 1000 ACCESS ROAD, PASCAGOULA, MS 39568 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 190 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $285,550.00. The inspection case was opened on 1993-08-18.
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.
Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $285,550.00 is more than 238.8× the national average of $1,195.75 for facilities in the Other sector (NAICS 000000). This sector encompasses 1,316,687 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $1,574.4M.
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 190 citations spanning 7 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 13 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 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 September 18, 1990 with the latest abatement deadline set for March 2, 1993. Of the 190 total citations, 15 (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 $285,550.00 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 $1,502.89 falls within the standard penalty range.
The 1993 enforcement action against Huntington Ingalls Incorporated represents a massive regulatory intervention, evidenced by the staggering volume of 190 citations and a total penalty exceeding $285,000. This enforcement profile indicates a comprehensive breakdown in safety management systems within a high-hazard shipbuilding environment. The recurring violations of 29 CFR 1915.36 (Flammable Liquids) and 1915.99 (Hazard Communication), specifically those assigned high gravity ratings, underscore a systemic failure to control fire and explosion risks inherent to maritime construction. For workers, these lapses translated into immediate threats of catastrophic industrial accidents, exacerbated by deficiencies in respiratory protection (1910.134) and personal protective equipment (1910.132). The sheer density of the citations suggests that hazards were not isolated incidents but rather embedded in the facility’s operational culture. The presence of General Duty Clause (5A0001) violations further signifies that management failed to address recognized hazards even where specific standards were not yet codified. Compared to industry benchmarks for the early 1990s, the penalty assessment was exceptionally severe, reflecting OSHA’s determination that the employer exhibited a pervasive disregard for integrated safety protocols. This record serves as a primary example of how technical non-compliance in specialized maritime standards (Part 1915) creates a compounding risk profile that necessitates aggressive federal oversight to prevent mass-casualty events.