LAPHAM-HICKEY STEEL CORP

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, LAPHAM-HICKEY STEEL CORP — a metal service centers and other metal merchant wholesalers facility located at 2585 W 20TH AVENUE, OSHKOSH, WI 54903 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 32 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $125,860.00. The inspection case was opened on 2004-05-05.

This facility represents one of the most severe enforcement actions in the OSHA SVEP database. Willful violations combined with penalties exceeding $100,000 indicate a pattern of deliberate non-compliance that poses an imminent danger to workers.

BLS Injury Data: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022), this industry sector has an occupational injury rate of 2.6 per 100 full-time workers — near the national average of 2.7. The sector fatality rate is 4.4 per 100,000 workers.

Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $125,860.00 is more than 24.3× the national average of $5,185.75 for facilities in the Wholesale sector (NAICS 423510). This sector encompasses 30,869 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $160.1M.

State Context: Within WI, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 43,331 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $3,505.68.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 32 citations spanning 13 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 6 serious — A workplace hazard that could cause death or serious physical harm exists, and the employer knew or should have known about the condition. 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. 3 willful — The employer intentionally and knowingly committed the violation, demonstrating either an intentional disregard for the requirements of the OSH Act or plain indifference to employee safety and health.

Enforcement Timeline: Citations were issued beginning April 20, 1995 with the latest abatement deadline set for October 11, 2007. Of the 32 total citations, 14 (44%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, which may indicate ongoing compliance gaps requiring further regulatory attention.

Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $125,860.00 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 $3,933.13 falls within the standard penalty range.

The 2004 enforcement action against Lapham-Hickey Steel Corp represents a severe indictment of the facility’s safety culture, characterized by a systemic failure to protect employees from high-energy hazards inherent in steel service operations. The assessment of $125,86