J. W. STEEL INC.
According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, J. W. STEEL INC. — a fabricated structural metal manufacturing facility located at 300 SOUTH CAPERTON, PRINCETON, WV 24740 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 13 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $15,529.00. The inspection case was opened on 2012-03-09.
The volume of citations issued during this inspection suggests systematic compliance deficiencies rather than isolated incidents. Facilities with 10 or more citations typically face comprehensive abatement requirements and may be subject to follow-up inspections.
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.
EPA Environmental Record: The EPA shows no current violations for this facility. regulated under: RCRA Hazardous Waste. Source: EPA ECHO database.
Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $15,529.00 is more than 2.4× the national average of $6,436.62 for facilities in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS 332312). This sector encompasses 82,943 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $533.9M.
State Context: Within WV, this facility's penalty places it at the 97th percentile among 14,536 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $3,060.20.
Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 13 citations spanning 6 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 9 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. 1 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 23, 2012 with the latest abatement deadline set for December 26, 2013. Of the 13 total citations, 9 (69%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, suggesting partial progress toward required corrective actions.
Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $15,529.00 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 $1,194.54 falls within the standard penalty range.