S&J DITCHING LLC AND JOHN COVEY INDIVIDUALLY

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, S&J DITCHING LLC AND JOHN COVEY INDIVIDUALLY — a site preparation contractors facility located at 4610 FORREST AVE, KANSAS CITY, MO 64110 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 3 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $180,498.00. The inspection case was opened on 2024-05-23.

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 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 $180,498.00 is more than 50.0× the national average of $3,609.14 for facilities in the Construction sector (NAICS 238910). This sector encompasses 532,749 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $1,922.8M.

State Context: Within MO, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 41,963 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $2,902.40.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 3 citations spanning 3 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 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.

Enforcement Timeline: Citations were issued beginning October 25, 2024 with the latest abatement deadline set for November 21, 2024. 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 per-citation average of $60,166.00 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 action against S&J Ditching LLC and John Covey individually represents a severe regulatory