J. R. SIMPLOT COMPANY

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, J. R. SIMPLOT COMPANY — a industry sector 00 facility located at 3630 GATEWAY DRIVE, GRAND FORKS, ND 58203 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 31 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $97,521.50. The inspection case was opened on 1991-02-14.

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 ND, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 7,285 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $2,884.40.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 31 citations spanning 8 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 15 serious — A workplace hazard that could cause death or serious physical harm exists, and the employer knew or should have known about the condition.

Enforcement Timeline: Citations were issued beginning October 29, 2001 with the latest abatement deadline set for March 1, 2011. Of the 31 total citations, 11 (35%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, which may indicate ongoing compliance gaps requiring further regulatory attention.

Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $97,521.50 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 $3,145.85 falls within the standard penalty range.

The 1991 enforcement action against J.R. Simplot’s Grand Forks facility revealed a pervasive breakdown in fundamental safety systems, characterized by a high volume of serious violations that commanded a substantial penalty for the era. The presence of multiple Process Safety Management (PSM) citations under 19