The North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health division has cited a House of Raeford processing plant in Teachey, N.C., with violating at least 49 safety violations that may result in fines of $178,000.

Violations at the Teachey plant include having no system for the early detection of ammonia leaks, having no proper emergency alarm system to speed evacuations and having no safety guards on some machinery.

In a statement released to the Charlotte Observer, House of Raeford said it quickly corrected all but one of the violations, which it is currently working to fix. It added that most of the violations "could be startup problems," as the plant was acquired in 2005 and converted to a processing facility in 2006.

House of Raeford also added that it is challenging the substance and classification of the fines, and has requested an informal conference with N.C. OSHA officials to reduce the fine amount.

"The case is in the informal conference stage and therefore still considered an open case," a member of the communications division of the N.C. Department of Labor confirmed to Meatingplace.com.

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