The Gazette
State issues 39 citations against Postville meatpacker
By Orlan Love

Postville meatpacker Agriprocessors Inc. has been issued 39 citations for alleged violations of state workplace safety and health standards.

Penalties totaling $182,000 have been proposed for the alleged violations, the Iowa Division of Labor Services said Thursday.

Responding for the company, Des Moines attorney Jay Eaton said Agriprocessors has not received any citation regarding health standards and that officials believe many of the citations regarding safety standards have not been substantiated.

"The company will oppose improper citations," Eaton said, though he could not specify how many would be challenged.

An Iowa Division of Labor safety inspection of the Postville plant on Oct. 31 resulted in the issuance of 26 citations, including two repeat violations related to lockout-tagout procedures, the agency said.

A Feb. 11 health inspection identified 13 serious health violations. Citations were issued for violations surrounding hazardous chemicals and emergency response issues including a lack of proper labeling on hazardous chemicals, lack of an emergency alarm that could be heard by all employees, failure to develop an emergency response plan and improper programs for both respirator use and blood-borne pathogen issues, the Iowa Division of Labor Services said.

Kerry Koonce, a spokeswoman for Iowa Workforce Development, said none of the alleged violations has caused any worker injuries or illness. "They are considered serious because they could lead to illness or injury if not corrected," she said.

"The findings of these serious and, in certain cases, repeat violations show this company's stubborn unwillingness to clean up its act. We applaud the state for acting to protect workers from dangerous workplace conditions," said Scott Frotman, a spokesman for the United Food and Commercial Workers. The union has tried unsuccessfully to establish a local at the Postville plant, which employs about 800 workers.

Agriprocessors has 15 days to formally respond to the citations and proposed fines.

"Based on the information I've seen, the proposed penalties seem inordinately high," Eaton said.

Asserting that Agriprocessors maintains a proactive program for the safety and health of its employees, Eaton said any valid concerns raised by the Division of Labor Services have been immediately addressed.