PASTA MONTANA, LLC

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, PASTA MONTANA, LLC — a dry pasta, dough, and flour mixes manufacturing from purchased flour facility located at 1 PASTA PLACE, GREAT FALLS, MT 59401 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 6 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $279,231.20. The inspection case was opened on 2023-01-31.

This facility represents one of the most severe enforcement actions in the OSHA SVEP database. Willful violations combined with penalties exceeding $100,000 indicate a pattern of deliberate non-compliance that poses an imminent danger to workers.

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 $279,231.20 is more than 32.7× the national average of $8,527.19 for facilities in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS 311824). This sector encompasses 24,420 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $208.2M.

State Context: Within MT, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 9,480 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $2,110.71.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 6 citations spanning 3 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 2 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 willful — The employer intentionally and knowingly committed the violation, demonstrating either an intentional disregard for the requirements of the OSH Act or plain indifference to employee safety and health. 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.

Enforcement Timeline: Citations were issued beginning September 19, 2024 with the latest abatement deadline set for December 10, 2025. Of the 6 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 per-citation average of $46,538.53 exceeds OSHA's FY2024 statutory maximum of $16,131 for serious violations, indicating the presence of willful or repeat classifications that carry enhanced penalty authority under Section 17 of the OSH Act.

The enforcement record for Pasta Montana, LLC reveals a catastrophic breakdown in fundamental safety protocols, characterized by a staggering $279,231.20 penalty that far exceeds industry averages for food manufacturing. The presence of multiple willful violations—specifically regarding machine guarding (1910.212(a)(1)) and lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures (1910.147)—signals a level of management indifference that transcends mere negligence. Practically, this environment subjected workers to high-gravity amputation and crushing hazards, as the facility failed to both physically shield dangerous