WAGNER CASTINGS CO.

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, WAGNER CASTINGS CO. — a industry sector 00 facility located at 825 N. LOWBER ST., DECATUR, IL 62525 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 137 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $99,860.00. The inspection case was opened on 1989-05-11.

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 IL, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 88,899 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $3,496.90.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 137 citations spanning 4 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 15 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 October 10, 1991 with the latest abatement deadline set for November 12, 1991. Of the 137 total citations, 15 (11%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, which may indicate ongoing compliance gaps requiring further regulatory attention.

Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $99,860.00 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 $728.91 falls within the standard penalty range.

The 1989 inspection of Wagner Castings Co. revealed a catastrophic breakdown in safety management, evidenced by the staggering volume of 137 citations and a near six-figure penalty—an extraordinary sum for the era that signaled a high-priority enforcement action. The citation density concentrated heavily on 29 CFR 1910.134, exposing a systemic failure in the facility’s respiratory protection program. In practical terms, workers were likely subjected to inhalation hazards from foundry dust, silica, or metallic fumes without adequate fit testing, medical evaluations, or standardized cleaning procedures. The high gravity ratings (10) assigned to these respiratory violations indicate that the employer’s negligence placed personnel at direct risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or silicosis. The breadth of the enforcement action, which also encompassed fall protection (1910.23), aerial lift safety (1910.67