WEST VAN MATERIAL RECOVERY CTR

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, WEST VAN MATERIAL RECOVERY CTR — a solid waste collection facility located at 6601 NW OLD LOWER RIVER RD, VANCOUVER, WA 98660 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 36 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $45,000.00. The inspection case was opened on 2010-03-12.

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 2.8 per 100 full-time workers — 4% above the national average of 2.7. The sector fatality rate is 5.3 per 100,000 workers.

Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $45,000.00 is more than 10.8× the national average of $4,155.70 for facilities in the Admin Services sector (NAICS 562111). This sector encompasses 40,441 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $168.1M.

State Context: Within WA, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 126,183 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $1,683.96.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 36 citations spanning 14 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 14 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 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 January 12, 2015 with the latest abatement deadline set for June 21, 2016. Of the 36 total citations, 15 (42%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, which may indicate ongoing compliance gaps requiring further regulatory attention.

Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $45,000.00 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 $1,250.00 falls within the standard penalty range.

The enforcement record for West Van Material Recovery Center reveals a pervasive breakdown in safety management systems, evidenced by