First Source Worldwide, a chemical company in Dalton, is facing more than $250,000 in proposed penalties after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited the business for several workplace safety hazards.

DALTON, Ga. — The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has proposed more than $250,000 in penalties after Dalton’s First Source Worldwide was cited for several workplace safety hazards “that put employees at risk of injury.”

But the owner of the chemical company said in a statement emailed to the Daily Citizen-News that the OSHA citations are “based on incorrect information.”

According to a release from OSHA, following an inspection of the company’s Dalton facility, the agency issued “willful citations for failing to install a fall protection system, and develop and implement a written permit-required confined-space program.”

When contacted Wednesday, local operations manager Ben Wangelin referred all questions to Dale Clark, the company’s CEO and owner. Clark responded to questions with an emailed statement saying the company is continuing to work with OSHA on its findings. 

“We at First Source Worldwide are troubled and disappointed by OSHA’s decision to issue citations against us for alleged safety violations,” Clark wrote. “At First Source, employee safety is our top priority. To that end, the company has a robust safety program, including ISO (International Organization for Standardization) certification and a substantial investment into training and compliance.  

“More importantly, in over 16 years in business, First Source has never (emphasis added) had a serious employee injury caused by or related to an unsafe condition at any of our facilities,” Clark wrote. “Likewise, despite the serious allegations in the citations, no employees have ever been injured at our Dalton facility based on any of the alleged conditions described in the citations nor do we believe was any employee even exposed to any unsafe condition. We believe that these citations are based on incorrect information and will be withdrawn or substantially reduced through either our continued cooperation with OSHA or the hearing process.”

The proposed penalties total $256,088. The company has 15 business days from receving the citations and proposed penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before the independent OSHA Commission.

The company was also cited for several serious and other-than-serious violations, including “failing to develop safety procedures when performing equipment maintenance and servicing; failing to train and evaluate forklift operators; failing to ensure employees have proper personal protective equipment; and failing to install machine guards on equipment.”

“The hazards identified put workers at risk of serious injury,” said Christi Griffin, OSHA Atlanta area office director in a press release. “Employers must follow required safety practices to protect worker safety and health.”

The company’s Dalton facility is at 413 Virgil Drive off Abutment Road. The company is based in Neenah, Wis., and according to the company website, the Dalton facility opened in 2012. The company is a supplier of “tailor-made chemicals and colorants” used locally in the flooring industry, according to the website.