Greene County cheese factory issued $12,000 in state fines for December ammonia leak

State records show a Greeneville cheese factory that experienced a vapor leak causing more than two dozen of its workers to become ill is facing more than $12,000 in penalties.

The original fine by the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration was over $20,000 for the December incident at La Quesara Mexicana LLC but was amended earlier this month.

The list of violations included no safety alarms, unplanned maintenance work without proper equipment, and no operation or inspection logs of the ammonia system.

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