WARD COVE DOCK GROUP, LLC

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, WARD COVE DOCK GROUP, LLC — a all other support activities for transportation facility located at 7559 NORTH TONGASS HIGHWAY, KETCHIKAN, AK 99901 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 11 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $144,067.00. The inspection case was opened on 2025-05-16.

This facility represents one of the most severe enforcement actions in the OSHA SVEP database. Willful violations combined with penalties exceeding $100,000 indicate a pattern of deliberate non-compliance that poses an imminent danger to workers.

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 $144,067.00 is more than 33.9× the national average of $4,244.13 for facilities in the Transportation sector (NAICS 488999). This sector encompasses 17,047 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $72.3M.

State Context: Within AK, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 13,118 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $1,612.78.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 11 citations spanning 9 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 6 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 willful — The employer intentionally and knowingly committed the violation, demonstrating either an intentional disregard for the requirements of the OSH Act or plain indifference to employee safety and health.

Enforcement Timeline: Citations were issued beginning June 7, 2022 with the latest abatement deadline set for March 10, 2025. Of the 11 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 $144,067.00 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 $13,097.00 falls within the standard penalty range.

The inspection of Ward Cove Dock Group, LLC reveals a high-risk safety profile characterized by a