SOUTHERN TEA, LLC

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, SOUTHERN TEA, LLC — a coffee and tea manufacturing facility located at 1267 COBB INDUSTRIAL DRIVE, MARIETTA, GA 30066 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 15 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $47,049.00. The inspection case was opened on 2019-02-21.

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.

EPA Environmental Record: The EPA shows no current violations for this facility. regulated under: RCRA Hazardous Waste. Source: EPA ECHO database.

Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $47,049.00 is more than 5.5× the national average of $8,527.19 for facilities in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS 311920). This sector encompasses 24,420 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $208.2M.

State Context: Within GA, this facility's penalty places it at the 99th percentile among 48,956 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $3,799.18.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 15 citations spanning 9 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 14 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 September 29, 2011 with the latest abatement deadline set for October 4, 2022. Of the 15 total citations, 8 (53%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, suggesting partial progress toward required corrective actions.

Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $47,049.00 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 $3,136.60 falls within the standard penalty range.

The 2019 enforcement action against Southern Tea, LLC, reveals a systemic failure in fundamental safety management systems