SOUTHERN STATES COOPERATIVE, INCORPORATED

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, SOUTHERN STATES COOPERATIVE, INCORPORATED — a fertilizer (mixing only) manufacturing facility located at 2582 SALISBURY HIGHWAY, STATESVILLE, NC 28677 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 12 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $26,237.00. The inspection case was opened on 2014-07-28.

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 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 $26,237.00 is more than 3.1× the national average of $8,414.32 for facilities in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS 325314). This sector encompasses 52,095 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $438.3M.

State Context: Within NC, this facility's penalty places it at the 99th percentile among 88,256 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $1,699.39.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 12 citations spanning 6 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 11 serious — A workplace hazard that could cause death or serious physical harm exists, and the employer knew or should have known about the condition. 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 August 12, 2013 with the latest abatement deadline set for October 21, 2015. Of the 12 total citations, 10 (83%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, indicating substantial compliance with corrective action requirements.

Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $26,237.00 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 $2,186.42 falls within the standard penalty range.

The inspection of Southern States Cooperative’s Statesville facility revealed a systemic failure in fundamental mechanical safety and