NEW BERLIN – Federal authorities have cited the makers of Chobani Greek yogurt with 34 workplace safety and health violations. The company faces $178,000 in fines.

The Syracuse office of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration conducted an inspection of Agro Farma’s main manufacturing plant at 669 County Road 25, New Berlin, following an employee complaint, according to a press release.

“Our inspections identified a wide range of mechanical, chemical, electrical and health hazards that, left uncorrected, expose the plant’s employees to being caught in moving machine parts or unexpectedly energized machinery, electrocution, falls, being overcome in toxic or oxygen-deficient atmospheres, and hearing loss,” said Christopher Adams, OSHA’s area director in Syracuse.

OSHA found numerous instances of unguarded moving machine parts; electrical hazards, including failing to train employees in electric safety-related work practices; a lack of personal protective equipment for employees working on live electrical equipment; a lack of fall protection for employees accessing the top of milk trucks; missing or inadequate energy control procedures and training for employees cleaning a trash compactor; failing to label all confined space work areas and provide confined space training; wet floors; unguarded floor holes; railings not provided over dangerous equipment; and stairway and exit deficiencies.