WEST FRASER, INC.

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, WEST FRASER, INC. — a sawmills facility located at 2474 DOUG BARNARD PKWY, AUGUSTA, GA 30906 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 5 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $26,419.00. The inspection case was opened on 2021-10-05.

DOL records document workplace safety violations warranting formal citation under the OSH Act. While classified at the standard enforcement level, all OSHA citations require corrective action and may indicate areas where workplace safety programs should be strengthened.

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.

Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $26,419.00 is more than 3.1× the national average of $8,414.32 for facilities in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS 321113). This sector encompasses 52,095 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $438.3M.

State Context: Within GA, this facility's penalty places it at the 98th percentile among 48,956 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $3,799.18.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 5 citations spanning 4 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 4 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 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 December 15, 2021 with the latest abatement deadline set for January 12, 2022. Of the 5 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 $26,419.00 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 $5,283.80 falls within the standard penalty range.

The 2021 enforcement action against West Fraser’s Augusta facility reveals a dangerous convergence