POLAR CORP.

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, POLAR CORP. — a soft drink manufacturing facility located at 30 SWORD ST, AUBURN, MA 01501 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 3 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $40,000.00. The inspection case was opened on 2021-01-26.

DOL records document workplace safety violations warranting formal citation under the OSH Act. While classified at the standard enforcement level, all OSHA citations require corrective action and may indicate areas where workplace safety programs should be strengthened.

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 $40,000.00 is more than 4.7× the national average of $8,527.19 for facilities in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS 312111). This sector encompasses 24,420 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $208.2M.

State Context: Within MA, this facility's penalty places it at the 99th percentile among 60,671 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $2,824.83.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 3 citations spanning 1 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 1 serious — A workplace hazard that could cause death or serious physical harm exists, and the employer knew or should have known about the condition. 2 repeat — A substantially similar violation was found during a previous inspection and the original citation has become a final order.

Enforcement Timeline: Citations were issued beginning May 6, 2021 with the latest abatement deadline set for October 1, 2021. Of the 3 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 $40,000.00 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 $13,333.33 falls within the standard penalty range.

The enforcement record for Polar Corp.’s Auburn facility reveals a targeted and systemic failure in hazardous energy control, specifically regarding the Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) standard under 29 CFR 1910.147. The presence of multiple citations within this single standard—ranging from procedural development to periodic inspections and training—indicates that the facility lacked a cohesive program to protect employees from the unexpected energization or startup of machinery. Of particular concern is the "Repeat" status of the violations