NUECES ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE INC.
According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, NUECES ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE INC. — a industry sector 00 facility located at HWY 44, ROBSTOWN, TX 78380 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 6 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $86,800.00. The inspection case was opened on 2002-08-12.
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.
Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $86,800.00 is more than 72.6× the national average of $1,195.75 for facilities in the Other sector (NAICS 000000). This sector encompasses 1,316,687 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $1,574.4M.
State Context: Within TX, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 119,485 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $3,783.80.
Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 6 citations spanning 4 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 3 serious — A workplace hazard that could cause death or serious physical harm exists, and the employer knew or should have known about the condition. 3 unclassified — A technical violation that does not fit neatly into the standard classification categories.
Enforcement Timeline: Citations were issued beginning February 7, 2003 with the latest abatement deadline set for February 13, 2003. Of the 6 total citations, 6 (100%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, indicating substantial compliance with corrective action requirements.
Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $86,800.00 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 $14,466.67 falls within the standard penalty range.
The 2002 enforcement action against Nueces Electric Cooperative Inc. revealed a profound systemic breakdown in electrical safety management, characterized by