THE WESTERN SUGAR COOPERATIVE

3020 STATE AVE, BILLINGS, MT 59101 · Manufacturing

THE WESTERN SUGAR COOPERATIVE in BILLINGS, MT has been the subject of 14 OSHA workplace inspections and 42 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $257,593. Industry sector: Manufacturing. All enforcement data below is sourced from the DOL public enforcement databases at data.dol.gov.

14
OSHA Inspections
42
Violations Cited
$257,593
OSHA Penalties

Safety Assessment

THE WESTERN SUGAR COOPERATIVE has been inspected 14 times by OSHA over 13 years. These inspections resulted in 42 violations, averaging 3.0 violations per inspection. Of these, 25 were classified as serious — indicating hazards that could cause death or serious harm. Compared to the Manufacturing industry average of 2 inspections per employer, THE WESTERN SUGAR COOPERATIVE has been inspected more frequently.

What the Data Says About THE WESTERN SUGAR COOPERATIVE

The federal enforcement record for THE WESTERN SUGAR COOPERATIVE in BILLINGS, MT includes 14 OSHA inspections and 42 violations, translating to 3.00 violations per inspection. Of those violations, 25 (59.5%) were classified as serious, 0 (0.0%) as willful, and 3 (7.1%) as repeat. Serious violations denote hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm; willful and repeat categories indicate intentional disregard or recurrence of previously cited hazards.

OSHA assessed $344,721 in initial penalties against this employer, later adjusted to a current total of $257,593 — a 25.3% reduction. Average penalty per inspection works out to $18,400. Against the Manufacturing industry average of $17,948 per employer, this record runs above peers.

Inspection activity spans from 2010-12-09 to 2024-03-13, a window of roughly 13 years. This record draws directly from the U.S. Department of Labor's public enforcement data at data.dol.gov. Penalty amounts reflect final adjudicated figures after any settlement, informal conference, or formal contest. Workers, journalists, and researchers can use these figures to compare this employer's compliance posture against industry peers and to identify workplaces with elevated safety risks or repeat non-compliance.

OSHA Inspection History

Total Inspections
14
First Inspection
2010-12-09
Last Inspection
2024-03-13
Inspection Span
13 years
Violations per Inspection
3.0
Avg Penalty per Inspection
$18,400
Industry Avg per Inspection
$7,519

Violation Breakdown

25
Serious
59.5% of total
0
Willful
0.0% of total
3
Repeat
7.1% of total
14
Other-Than-Serious
33.3% of total

Serious violations involve hazards that could cause death or serious physical harm. Willful violations indicate intentional or knowing disregard of the law. Repeat violations are for hazards previously cited within the past 5 years.

Penalty Analysis

Initial Penalty Assessed
$344,721
Current Penalty Amount
$257,593
Penalty Reduction
25.3%

Penalties were reduced by $87,128 from the initial assessment of $344,721. Reductions may result from informal settlements, formal contests, or negotiated agreements with OSHA.

Industry Safety Context: Manufacturing

How THE WESTERN SUGAR COOPERATIVE compares to the Manufacturing sector, which has 7,846 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric THE WESTERN SUGAR COOPERATIVE Industry Avg
Inspections 14 2.4
Violations 42 6.3
Total Penalty $257,593 $17,948
Avg Penalty per Inspection $18,400 $7,519

Related Data from Other Sources

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is THE WESTERN SUGAR COOPERATIVE safe to work at?
Based on OSHA records, THE WESTERN SUGAR COOPERATIVE's workplace safety record is concerning, with multiple serious compliance issues. The employer has 42 violations across 14 inspections, including 25 serious violations. Compared to Manufacturing industry peers, this is above average for penalties. Review the full inspection history below for details.
How many OSHA violations does THE WESTERN SUGAR COOPERATIVE have?
THE WESTERN SUGAR COOPERATIVE has 42 OSHA violations on record, including 25 serious, 0 willful, and 3 repeat violations. The total current penalty amount is $257,593.
How many OSHA inspections has THE WESTERN SUGAR COOPERATIVE had?
THE WESTERN SUGAR COOPERATIVE has had 14 OSHA inspections, with the first recorded on 2010-12-09 and the most recent on 2024-03-13. This averages 3.0 violations per inspection.
What is the total penalty amount for THE WESTERN SUGAR COOPERATIVE?
THE WESTERN SUGAR COOPERATIVE has been assessed $257,593 in current OSHA penalties, reduced from an initial assessment of $344,721 (a 25.3% reduction).
Does THE WESTERN SUGAR COOPERATIVE have any serious or willful violations?
Yes. THE WESTERN SUGAR COOPERATIVE has 25 serious violations, and 3 repeat violations. Serious violations involve hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm. Willful violations indicate the employer intentionally or knowingly disregarded the law.
What industry does THE WESTERN SUGAR COOPERATIVE operate in?
THE WESTERN SUGAR COOPERATIVE operates in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS code 311313). This industry has 7,846 employers tracked by PlainWorker, with 18,727 total OSHA inspections and $140.82M in cumulative penalties.
What are my rights if I work at THE WESTERN SUGAR COOPERATIVE?
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, employees at THE WESTERN SUGAR COOPERATIVE have the right to a safe workplace, the right to report hazards without retaliation, the right to request an OSHA inspection, and the right to access their own exposure and medical records. Workers can also refuse dangerous work if they believe they face imminent danger and their employer has failed to address the hazard.
How do I file an OSHA complaint against THE WESTERN SUGAR COOPERATIVE?
You can file a complaint with OSHA online at osha.gov/workers/file-complaint, by calling 1-800-321-OSHA (6742), or by visiting your local OSHA area office. Complaints can be filed confidentially. OSHA is required to respond to all complaints and will prioritize those alleging imminent danger. You are protected from employer retaliation under Section 11(c) of the OSH Act.
How does THE WESTERN SUGAR COOPERATIVE's safety record compare to industry average?
THE WESTERN SUGAR COOPERATIVE's total OSHA penalty of $257,593 is above the Manufacturing industry average of $17,948 per employer (14.4x the average). The employer has 14 inspections compared to the industry average of 2.4 per employer.

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Data Sources & Methodology

Data as of 2026. Source: U.S. Department of Labor (OSHA, WHD).

Source: OSHA Enforcement Data

Inspection and violation records from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), U.S. Department of Labor, covering the period 2010–2026. Includes inspection dates, violation types (serious, willful, repeat, other-than-serious), and penalty amounts. Penalties shown are current assessed amounts and may differ from original citations due to settlement, contest, or reduction.

Source: Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

Compliance actions from the WHD, covering enforcement of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), including minimum wage, overtime, and child labor violations. Back wages represent amounts owed to affected employees as determined by WHD investigations.

Employer Matching

Employers are matched across OSHA and WHD datasets by name, state, and city. Employers included in PlainWorker have 2 or more OSHA inspections or $1,000+ in WHD back wages. Data is updated monthly from data.dol.gov.

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