18 safety citations issued at Ga. plant since 2009

LAGRANGE (AP) - Representatives of a car parts manufacturing company say they've remedied several issues and increased training after receiving the most federal safety violations in Georgia.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Sunday that Sewon America, which manufactures components for Kia, has been inspected nine times and received 18 citations since 2009 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Among other things, federal officials have accused the company of failing to provide workers adequate hand and eye protection and exposed employees to crush hazards.

The newspaper reports ambulances have been sent to the facility 23 times for trauma calls since the plant opened four years ago.

The plant's general manager Ken Horton says employees had to overcome a learning curve, and officials say most of the citations were issued in 2009 and 2010.