IMC FERTILIZER, INC.

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, IMC FERTILIZER, INC. — a industry sector 00 facility located at HWY 2, STERLINGTON, LA 71280 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 253 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $9,799,840.00. The inspection case was opened on 1991-05-03.

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.

State Context: Within LA, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 19,587 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $3,582.10.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 253 citations spanning 0 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 15 unclassified — A technical violation that does not fit neatly into the standard classification categories.

Enforcement Timeline: Citations were issued beginning October 31, 1991 with the latest abatement deadline set for December 1, 1994. Of the 253 total citations, 15 (6%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, which may indicate ongoing compliance gaps requiring further regulatory attention.

Penalty Assessment: The per-citation average of $38,734.55 exceeds OSHA's FY2024 statutory maximum of $16,131 for serious violations, indicating the presence of willful or repeat classifications that carry enhanced penalty authority under Section 17 of the OSH Act.

The 1991 enforcement action against IMC Fertilizer remains a watershed moment in OSHA history, characterized by a staggering $9.8 million penalty that signaled a shift toward aggressive "instance-by-instance" citing for egregious safety failures. The heavy reliance on Section 5(a)(1), the General Duty Clause, underscored