OSHA has proposed fines totaling $126,500 against Palleton of Fremont, Inc., saying the agency found 33 violations of safety and health rules at the company's facility in Fremont, Nebraska.

"The wooden pallet repair and refurbishment company was selected for a comprehensive joint safety and health inspection under the agency's site-specific targeting program," says Charles E. Adkins, OSHA regional administrator in Kansas City .

OSHA's safety citations alleged one willful, 24 serious, and three repeat violations; the health inspection cited three serious, one repeat and one other-than serious violations.

The willful safety citation alleged that Palleton failed to provide machine guarding for point of operation, in-going nip points, rotating parts, and flying chips. The serious safety citations alleged a failure to address forklift-related hazards, such as employees operating fork lift trucks without seatbelts, unapproved modification of forklifts, lack of inspections, and inadequate operator training.

The firm has 15 working days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply with them, request and participate in an informal conference with the OSHA area director, or contest them before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.