THE WHITING-TURNER CONTRACTING COMPANY

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, THE WHITING-TURNER CONTRACTING COMPANY — a industry sector 00 facility located at BETHLEHEM STEEL/BOF 5111 NORTH POINT BOULEVARD, SPARROWS POINT, MD 21219 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 16 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $30,400.00. The inspection case was opened on 1999-06-30.

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.

State Context: Within MD, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 48,269 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $1,448.20.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 16 citations spanning 8 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 8 serious — A workplace hazard that could cause death or serious physical harm exists, and the employer knew or should have known about the condition. 7 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 16, 1999 with the latest abatement deadline set for September 23, 1999. Of the 16 total citations, 15 (94%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, indicating substantial compliance with corrective action requirements.

Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $30,400.00 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 $1,900.00 falls within the standard penalty range.

The 1999 inspection of The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company at the Bethlehem Steel site revealed a multifaceted breakdown in fundamental safety management, characterized by a dangerous convergence of respiratory and structural hazards. The assessment of $30,400 in penalties—a significant sum for the era—underscores the gravity of the sixteen citations, which were primarily classified as Serious. The heavy concentration of violations under 29 CFR 1910.134 indicates a systemic failure in the employer’s respiratory protection program, encompassing deficiencies in fit testing