LOWELL INDUSTRIES INC

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, LOWELL INDUSTRIES INC — a rolled steel shape manufacturing facility located at 3235B HIGHWAY 76, PORTLAND, TN 37148 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 31 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $72,669.00. The inspection case was opened on 2003-01-09.

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.

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.

Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $72,669.00 is more than 11.3× the national average of $6,436.62 for facilities in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS 331221). This sector encompasses 82,943 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $533.9M.

State Context: Within TN, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 40,481 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $1,620.08.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 31 citations spanning 5 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 5 other-than-serious — The violation has a direct relationship to job safety and health but is unlikely to cause death or serious physical harm. 10 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 March 25, 2003 with the latest abatement deadline set for June 8, 2003. Of the 31 total citations, 15 (48%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, which may indicate ongoing compliance gaps requiring further regulatory attention.

Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $72,669.00 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 $2,344.16 falls within the standard penalty range.

The inspection of Lowell Industries Inc. revealed a pervasive breakdown of fundamental safety management systems, evidenced by the high volume