DENVER -- Wood pallet recycler IFCO systems was fined $67,765 by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for alleged machine guarding violations.

OSHA cited the company's recycling facility in Henderson, CO, with one repeat and five serious citations for improper machine guarding.
 
OSHA chose to inspect the IFCO facility as part of its site-specific targeting program that focuses on employers with high injury and illness rates.

IFCO was fined $50,000 for the repeat citation for failing to provide adequate machine guarding on a bandsaw. OSHA issued similar citations to IFCO Systems' facilities located in Smithville, OH, on July 12, 2006; Columbus, OH, on Dec. 5, 2008; and Atlanta, GA, on Oct. 8, 2010.

The serious citations, with a penalty of $17,765, were issued for failing to develop and implement proper lockout procedures for energy sources; a lack of proper guarding for open-sided floors; a lack of machine guarding on a table saw; and exposing employees to excessive levels of noise.

IFCO is an international logistics service provider with more than 210 locations worldwide, and had worldwide sales of $735.9 million in 2009.

IFCO's U.S. network of facilities reportedly sort, repair and reissue approximately 200 million pallets each year.

Read more about OSHA's citations against IFCO Systems.