Tier 3 Elevated

MARTIN BROTHERS DISTRIBUTING COMPANY, INC.

📍 406 VIKING ROAD, CEDAR FALLS, IA 50613🏭 Packaged Frozen Food Merchant Wholesalers (NAICS 424420)📅 2019-03-18
$123,063.00
Total Penalties
24
Citations
46/100
Risk Score
404
Analysis Words
Enforcement Analysis

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, MARTIN BROTHERS DISTRIBUTING COMPANY, INC. — a packaged frozen food merchant wholesalers facility located at 406 VIKING ROAD, CEDAR FALLS, IA 50613 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 24 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $123,063.00. The inspection case was opened on 2019-03-18.

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 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 $123,063.00 is more than 23.7× the national average of $5,185.75 for facilities in the Wholesale sector (NAICS 424420). This sector encompasses 30,869 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $160.1M.

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 24 citations spanning 11 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 1 other-than-serious — The violation has a direct relationship to job safety and health but is unlikely to cause death or serious physical harm. 14 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 May 8, 2009 with the latest abatement deadline set for June 4, 2009. Of the 24 total citations, 15 (63%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, suggesting partial progress toward required corrective actions.

Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $123,063.00 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 $5,127.63 falls within the standard penalty range.

The enforcement action against Martin Brothers Distributing Company, Inc. revealed a pervasive breakdown in

Citation Matrix — 24 Citations
29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(01)
Hazard Communication Standard (Chemical Safety)
Other-than-Serious
Penalty: $0.00Gravity: 01Issued: May 8, 2009Abated: ✓ Yes
29 CFR 1910.147(c)(04)
Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout)
Serious
Penalty: $0.00Gravity: 03Issued: May 8, 2009Abated: ✓ Yes
29 CFR 1910.147(c)(07)
Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout)
Serious
Penalty: $0.00Gravity: 03Issued: May 8, 2009Abated: ✓ Yes
29 CFR 1910.151(c)
Medical Services & First Aid
Serious
Penalty: $525.00Gravity: 01Issued: May 8, 2009Abated: ✓ Yes
29 CFR 1910.212(a)(01)
Machine Guarding — General Requirements
Serious
Penalty: $875.00Gravity: 03Issued: May 8, 2009Abated: ✓ Yes
29 CFR 1910.213(c)(01)
Serious
Penalty: $0.00Gravity: 03Issued: May 8, 2009Abated: ✓ Yes
29 CFR 1910.215(b)(09)
Abrasive Wheel Machinery
Serious
Penalty: $0.00Gravity: nanIssued: May 8, 2009Abated: ✓ Yes
29 CFR 1910.243(c)(01)
Serious
Penalty: $0.00Gravity: 03Issued: May 8, 2009Abated: ✓ Yes
29 CFR 1910.303(b)(02)
Electrical — General Requirements
Serious
Penalty: $700.00Gravity: 02Issued: May 8, 2009Abated: ✓ Yes
29 CFR 1910.305(b)(01)
Electrical — Wiring Methods & Components
Serious
Penalty: $700.00Gravity: 02Issued: May 8, 2009Abated: ✓ Yes
29 CFR 1910.305(g)(02)
Electrical — Wiring Methods & Components
Serious
Penalty: $0.00Gravity: 02Issued: May 8, 2009Abated: ✓ Yes
29 CFR 1910.334(a)(02)
Serious
Penalty: $0.00Gravity: 02Issued: May 8, 2009Abated: ✓ Yes
OSHA Std. 880004
Serious
Penalty: $875.00Gravity: 03Issued: May 8, 2009Abated: ✓ Yes
29 CFR 1910.147(c)(01)
Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout)
Serious
Penalty: $875.00Gravity: 03Issued: May 8, 2009Abated: ✓ Yes
29 CFR 1910.23(b)(01)
Guarding Floor & Wall Openings
Serious
Penalty: $700.00Gravity: 02Issued: May 8, 2009Abated: ✓ Yes
This report is compiled from publicly available U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data under the Freedom of Information Act. SVEP Navigator is an independent research and analysis platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to OSHA, the Department of Labor, or any federal agency. Information is provided for research, educational, and compliance planning purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Penalty amounts shown are proposed penalties and may have been modified through contest proceedings or settlement.
Local Competitor Benchmark

Comparing penalized facilities in CEDAR FALLS, IA (Broader Sector)

MARTIN BROTHERS DISTRIBUTING COMPANY, INC. (This Facility)
$123.1K
24 cit.
WORLD CLASS INDUSTRIES, INC.
$10.6K
1 cit.
MARTIN BROTHERS
$10.1K
6 cit.
MARTIN BROTHERS DISTRIBUTING CO INC
$4.2K
2 cit.
More IA Enforcement Records
INSITUFORM TECHNOLOGIES USA, INC.
DES MOINES, IA
$733.8K
20 cit.
TERRA INTERNATIONAL, INC.
SERGEANT BLUFF, IA
$681.6K
63 cit.
BEEF PRODUCTS, INC.
WATERLOO, IA
$676.0K
54 cit.
BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE AGRICULTURAL TIRE DIV.
DES MOINES, IA
$545.5K
153 cit.
PRETIUM PACKAGING L.L.C.
MUSCATINE, IA
$500.0K
26 cit.
Other Inspected Facilities in CEDAR FALLS, IA
VIKING PUMP, INC.
$200.2K
147 cit.
O'NEAL MANUFACTURING SERVICES
$44.3K
6 cit.
TONY'S LA PIZZERIA
$36.3K
9 cit.
IOWA METAL SPINNERS INC.
$18.4K
39 cit.
JENSEN ROAD COMPANY
$14.2K
19 cit.
Related Guides & Tools
OSHA Fines & Penalties Guide →
How OSHA calculates penalties and maximum fine amounts.
After an OSHA Inspection →
Citations, appeals, and penalty negotiation steps.
Top 10 OSHA Violations →
The most frequently cited standards nationwide.
Penalty Calculator →
Estimate fines by violation type, industry, and size.

Explore more: OSHA enforcement in CEDAR FALLS · Iowa data · Search the database · Incident Rate Calculator

Frequently Asked Questions
What OSHA violations was MARTIN BROTHERS DISTRIBUTING COMPANY, INC. cited for?

MARTIN BROTHERS DISTRIBUTING COMPANY, INC. received 24 citation(s) covering 11 distinct OSHA standards. Total proposed penalties were $123,063.00. The inspection opened on 2019-03-18.

How much was MARTIN BROTHERS DISTRIBUTING COMPANY, INC. fined by OSHA?

OSHA proposed penalties of $123,063.00 against MARTIN BROTHERS DISTRIBUTING COMPANY, INC. in CEDAR FALLS, IA. Average per citation: $5,127.63.

Is MARTIN BROTHERS DISTRIBUTING COMPANY, INC. a safe workplace?

Based on enforcement records, MARTIN BROTHERS DISTRIBUTING COMPANY, INC. has a risk score of 46 out of 100. 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.

How does this penalty compare to the industry average?

The average penalty for Packaged Frozen Food Merchant Wholesalers facilities is $5,185.75. This facility penalty of $123,063.00 is above the industry average.