OSHA has cited Gold Kist Inc. with proposed penalties totaling $143,000 for allegedly exposing workers to "serious and repeated safety hazards" at its Russellville, Ala., poultry processing plant.
OSHA said it issued 21 serious safety citations with proposed penalties of $90,000. The citations were associated with:
Blocked and improperly marked exits;
Unsafe floor conditions;
Inadequate personal protective equipment; and
Insufficient machine guarding; and numerous other safety hazards.
"Failing to comply with required safety procedures puts workers at unnecessary risk," said Roberto Sanchez, OSHA's area director in Birmingham, Ala. "When employers shirk their responsibility to keep workplaces free of hazards, the results can be tragic for workers and their families."
The company also received two repeat violations with penalties totaling $50,000 for its alleged failure to keep conveyor belt work areas free from fall hazards and other unsafe conditions. OSHA issued one other-than-serious citation and proposed a $3,000 penalty for not complying with required recordkeeping procedures.
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