NITREX INC.

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, NITREX INC. — a metal heat treating facility located at 1900 PLAIN AVE., AURORA, IL 60502 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 22 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $56,640.00. The inspection case was opened on 2022-10-26.

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.

EPA Environmental Record: The EPA shows no current violations for this facility. regulated under: Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, RCRA Hazardous Waste, Toxics Release Inventory. Toxic Release Inventory reports 424 lbs in releases/transfers. Source: EPA ECHO database.

Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $56,640.00 is more than 8.8× the national average of $6,436.62 for facilities in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS 332811). This sector encompasses 82,943 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $533.9M.

State Context: Within IL, this facility's penalty places it at the 99th percentile among 88,899 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $3,496.90.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 22 citations spanning 3 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 15 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 3, 2023 with the latest abatement deadline set for October 2, 2023. Of the 22 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 $56,640.00 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 $2,574.55 falls within the standard penalty range.

The 2022 inspection of Nitrex Inc. revealed a systemic and critical breakdown of life-safety protocols, specifically regarding Permit-Required Conf