NC Department Of Labor Fines Poultry Plant Where Employee Died For Serious Violations

A poultry processing plant where an employee suffered fatal personal injuries in June has been fined more than $70,000 by the North Carolina Department of Labor for health and safety violations.

According to a report in The Fayetteville Observer on December 16, the Department of Labor discovered 22 violations at the plant, 20 of which were considered to be serious violations.

The citations against the Mountaire Farms plant in Lumber Bridge include inadequate training of mechanics and emergency response employees. The civil penalties issued on December 15 totaled $73,325.

On June 20, maintenance worker Clifton Swain of Fayetteville died after a high-pressure refrigerant line ruptured. Four others were injured in the incident. The 48-year-old Air Force retiree had been an employee at the plant since 2001.

The company released a statement saying that it had cooperated with the investigation and would closely work with authorities.