PAINTERS UNITED

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, PAINTERS UNITED — a painting and wall covering contractors facility located at 2621 PRYTANIA ST., NEW ORLEANS, LA 70130 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 20 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $25,200.00. The inspection case was opened on 2013-05-14.

The volume of citations issued during this inspection suggests systematic compliance deficiencies rather than isolated incidents. Facilities with 10 or more citations typically face comprehensive abatement requirements and may be subject to follow-up inspections.

BLS Injury Data: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022), this industry sector has an occupational injury rate of 2.8 per 100 full-time workers — 4% above the national average of 2.7. The sector fatality rate is 9.6 per 100,000 workers.

Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $25,200.00 is more than 7.0× the national average of $3,609.14 for facilities in the Construction sector (NAICS 238320). This sector encompasses 532,749 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $1,922.8M.

State Context: Within LA, this facility's penalty places it at the 99th percentile among 19,587 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $3,582.10.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 20 citations spanning 2 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 November 1, 2013 with the latest abatement deadline set for November 11, 2013. Of the 20 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 $25,200.00 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 $1,260.00 falls within the standard penalty range.

The enforcement record for Painters United reveals a systemic failure to manage high-toxicity chemical hazards, specifically lead (1926.62) and cadmium (1926.1127), which are prevalent in historical renovation and industrial coating sectors. The sheer volume of serious violations—20 in total—indicates that the employer operated without a functional written compliance program or adequate exposure assessments. For workers, this lack of oversight meant they were likely performing abrasive blasting or scraping activities without knowing the concentration of neurotoxins and carcinogens in their breathing zones. The