STERILIZING SERVICES

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, STERILIZING SERVICES — a industry sector 00 facility located at 35 CUMBERLAND INDUSTRIAL RD., CUMBERLAND, RI 02864 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 25 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $107,529.00. The inspection case was opened on 1993-05-13.

Cumulative penalties significantly exceed the national median for OSHA enforcement actions. The penalty amount suggests multiple high-gravity citations, indicating conditions that presented a substantial probability of death or serious physical harm to employees.

State Context: Within RI, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 12,847 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $2,361.85.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 25 citations spanning 4 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 11 repeat — A substantially similar violation was found during a previous inspection and the original citation has become a final order. 3 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 June 4, 1990 with the latest abatement deadline set for May 5, 1996. Of the 25 total citations, 15 (60%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, suggesting partial progress toward required corrective actions.

Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $107,529.00 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 $4,301.16 falls within the standard penalty range.

The enforcement profile for Sterilizing Services reveals a critical, systemic failure to manage Ethylene Oxide (EtO) exposure, a potent carcinogen and reproductive hazard. The sheer volume of Repeat violations under 29 CFR 1910.1047—specifically regarding permissible exposure limits (PELs), monitoring, and engineering controls—demonstrates a chronic disregard for industrial hygiene fundamentals. In practical terms, workers were subjected to inhalation hazards