WAUKEGAN STEEL SALES, INC.
According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, WAUKEGAN STEEL SALES, INC. — a fabricated structural metal manufacturing facility located at 1201 BELVIDERE STREET, WAUKEGAN, IL 60085 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 73 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $131,845.00. The inspection case was opened on 2008-02-28.
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.
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: Clean Air Act. Source: EPA ECHO database.
Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $131,845.00 is more than 20.5× the national average of $6,436.62 for facilities in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS 332312). This sector encompasses 82,943 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $533.9M.
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 73 citations spanning 5 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 2 repeat — A substantially similar violation was found during a previous inspection and the original citation has become a final order. 11 serious — A workplace hazard that could cause death or serious physical harm exists, and the employer knew or should have known about the condition. 1 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 unclassified — A technical violation that does not fit neatly into the standard classification categories.
Enforcement Timeline: Citations were issued beginning August 26, 2008 with the latest abatement deadline set for September 29, 2008. Of the 73 total citations, 9 (12%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, which may indicate ongoing compliance gaps requiring further regulatory attention.
Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $131,845.00 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 $1,806.10 falls within the standard penalty range.
The inspection of Waukegan Steel Sales, Inc. revealed a pervasive breakdown of fundamental safety controls, characterized