KBK INDUSTRIES, LLC.

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, KBK INDUSTRIES, LLC. — a metal tank (heavy gauge) manufacturing facility located at 2201 N. COUNTRY ESTATES RD, LIBERAL, KS 67901 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 15 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $30,944.70. The inspection case was opened on 2025-02-21.

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: Clean Air Act, RCRA Hazardous Waste. Source: EPA ECHO database.

Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $30,944.70 is more than 4.8× the national average of $6,436.62 for facilities in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS 332420). This sector encompasses 82,943 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $533.9M.

State Context: Within KS, this facility's penalty places it at the 99th percentile among 19,826 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $3,225.89.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 15 citations spanning 8 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 6 other-than-serious — The violation has a direct relationship to job safety and health but is unlikely to cause death or serious physical harm. 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.

Enforcement Timeline: Citations were issued beginning April 25, 2019 with the latest abatement deadline set for August 7, 2019. Of the 15 total citations, 0 (0%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, which may indicate ongoing compliance gaps requiring further regulatory attention.

Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $30,944.70 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 $2,062.98 falls within the standard penalty range.

The enforcement record for KBK Industries, LLC reveals a fragmented safety culture characterized by systemic failures in high-hazard technical programs. The sheer density of citations under 1910.146 indicates a comprehensive collapse of the facility’s Permit-Required Confined Space (PRCS) program. By failing to implement entry procedures, provide adequate training, or establish rescue services, the employer exposed workers to catastrophic risks, including asphyxiation and entrapment. These are not isolated administrative oversights; they represent a fundamental failure to manage life-safety protocols in a metal tank manufacturing environment. Furthermore, the gravity-10 violations of 1910.1000 underscore a critical failure in industrial hygiene and air contaminant control. Exceeding permissible exposure limits (PELs) for hazardous substances, coupled with deficiencies in respiratory protection (1910.134) and hazard communication (1910.1200), suggests that employees were subjected to chronic health hazards without sufficient engineering controls or personal protective equipment. While the total penalty of $30,944.70 is moderate for fifteen citations, the clustering of "Serious" violations across electrical, lockout/tagout, and powered industrial truck standards points to a lack of institutionalized safety oversight. The data reflects a reactive safety posture where fundamental regulatory requirements for hazardous energy control and atmospheric monitoring were largely neglected, creating a multi-vector risk profile for the workforce.