JOHN MORRELL & CO.

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, JOHN MORRELL & CO. — a industry sector 00 facility located at 1200 BLUFF ROAD, SIOUX CITY, IA 51106 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 196 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $204,248.00. The inspection case was opened on 1989-05-15.

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 $204,248.00 is more than 170.8× 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 IA, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 19,658 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $2,797.42.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 196 citations spanning 6 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 8 serious — A workplace hazard that could cause death or serious physical harm exists, and the employer knew or should have known about the condition. 4 repeat — A substantially similar violation was found during a previous inspection and the original citation has become a final order. 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.

Enforcement Timeline: Citations were issued beginning March 17, 1992 with the latest abatement deadline set for September 1, 1993. Of the 196 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 $204,248.00 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 $1,042.08 falls within the standard penalty range.

The 1989 enforcement action against John Morrell & Co. represents a catastrophic failure of institutional safety management, evidenced by the staggering volume of 196 citations and a penalty exceeding $200,000—an extraordinary sum for the era. The inspection revealed a pervasive pattern of Subpart S electrical hazards, specifically regarding improper wiring