PHILIP SERVICES CORP.

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, PHILIP SERVICES CORP. — a industry sector 00 facility located at 1900 FT. AMANDA RD., LIMA, OH 45802 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 14 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $56,000.00. The inspection case was opened on 1997-10-28.

Federal investigators determined that one or more violations at this facility were committed willfully — meaning the employer either knowingly failed to comply with OSHA standards or acted with plain indifference to employee safety. Willful violations carry the highest penalty multipliers under the OSH Act.

State Context: Within OH, this facility's penalty places it at the 99th percentile among 91,405 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $3,818.37.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 14 citations spanning 3 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 5 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. 2 unclassified — A technical violation that does not fit neatly into the standard classification categories. 7 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 31, 1998 with the latest abatement deadline set for April 3, 1998. Of the 14 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 $56,000.00 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 $4,000.00 falls within the standard penalty range.

The inspection of Philip Services Corp.’s Lima facility revealed a pervasive and systemic disregard for the OSHA Asbestos Standard (29 CFR 1926.1101), characterized by a high frequency of "Willful" violations. The presence of five Willful citations indicates that management either possessed actual knowledge of the hazardous conditions or demonstrated a plain indifference to employee safety and legal requirements. Practically, these violations meant workers were likely performing Class II and III asbestos work without mandated engineering controls, proper respiratory protection, or adequate hygiene facilities, exposing them to carcinogenic fibers with long-term health implications like mesothelioma and asbestosis. The $56,000 penalty, while reflecting the severity of 1990s-era enforcement, underscores a significant punitive action concentrated on general safety program failures (19