UNITED FOODS INTERNATIONAL (USA), INC.

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, UNITED FOODS INTERNATIONAL (USA), INC. — a fats and oils refining and blending facility located at 23578 BERNHARDT STREET, HAYWARD, CA 94545 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 13 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $36,510.00. The inspection case was opened on 2023-06-28.

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.

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 $36,510.00 is more than 4.3× the national average of $8,527.19 for facilities in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS 311225). This sector encompasses 24,420 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $208.2M.

State Context: Within CA, this facility's penalty places it at the 99th percentile among 184,062 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $3,010.44.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 13 citations spanning 2 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 5 other-than-serious — The violation has a direct relationship to job safety and health but is unlikely to cause death or serious physical harm. 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.

Enforcement Timeline: Citations were issued beginning March 26, 2015 with the latest abatement deadline set for April 16, 2015. Of the 13 total citations, 0 (0%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, which may indicate ongoing compliance gaps requiring further regulatory attention.

Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $36,510.00 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 $2,808.46 falls within the standard penalty range.

The enforcement profile for United Foods International’s Hayward facility reveals a systemic breakdown in fundamental safety controls, characterized by a high volume of serious violations that span mechanical, chemical, and operational hazards. The penalty total of $36,510, while moderate, is driven by significant citations under Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations, particularly regarding hazardous substance handling (5167(A)) and industrial truck safety (3650(T)(12)). These citations suggest that workers were exposed to acute risks from improperly managed chemicals and unsafe forklift operations, which are leading causes of severe workplace trauma and toxic exposures in food processing environments. The inclusion of Section 3203(A)(6) indicates a failure to implement the facility’s Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP), signaling that these were not isolated technical oversights but rather a management-level failure to