TROPICAL SHIPPING CO., LTD.

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, TROPICAL SHIPPING CO., LTD. — a marine cargo handling facility located at WILFRED ALLICK TRANSPORTATION CENTER, CHRISTIANSTED, VI 00823 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 12 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $9,847.50. The inspection case was opened on 2013-04-15.

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 4.6 per 100 full-time workers — 70% above the national average of 2.7. The sector fatality rate is 14.0 per 100,000 workers.

Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $9,847.50 is more than 2.3× the national average of $4,244.13 for facilities in the Transportation sector (NAICS 488320). This sector encompasses 17,047 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $72.3M.

State Context: Within VI, this facility's penalty places it at the 96th percentile among 3,127 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $1,798.47.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 12 citations spanning 8 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 7 serious — A workplace hazard that could cause death or serious physical harm exists, and the employer knew or should have known about the condition. 4 other-than-serious — The violation has a direct relationship to job safety and health but is unlikely to cause death or serious physical harm. 1 repeat — A substantially similar violation was found during a previous inspection and the original citation has become a final order.

Enforcement Timeline: Citations were issued beginning August 15, 2011 with the latest abatement deadline set for January 6, 2023. Of the 12 total citations, 6 (50%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, suggesting partial progress toward required corrective actions.

Penalty Assessment: The total proposed penalty of $9,847.50 falls within OSHA's standard enforcement range and may have been adjusted through informal settlement conference procedures, penalty reduction factors, or good faith credit for demonstrated safety and health management systems.