The Iowa Division of Labor has proposed penalties of $182,000.

The citations follow a routine safety inspection at the plant last October, followed by a health inspection in February.

The violations range from improper labeling of anhydrous ammonia containers to the lack of appropriate protective equipment for handling dangerous chemicals and machinery, said Kerry Koonce, spokeswoman for Iowa Workforce Development, which includes the labor division.

Koonce said several citations were issued on the safety side, including emergency exits not being clearly marked and in some cases, being blocked.

''There's violations of not having on site, or prepared at all, emergency preparedness documents for types of emergencies that can happen,'' Koonce said.

She said other violations include an emergency call system that most employees can't hear and repeat violations of procedures for the proper handling of machinery during operation and repairs to prevent injuries.

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