A Nebraska meat packer has been hit with a hefty safety fine by the federal government.

And the fine comes as safety officials tell News Channel Nebraska that meat packing plants across the state have a “higher-than-average” injury rate.

[View our full video report above]

According to federal safety experts, one of the state’s major meatpacking operations, Nebraska Beef, has “ignored federal safety standards.”

OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, telling us that in June a forklift operator’s fingertip at the South Omaha plant got caught in part of the vehicle resulting in a “medically necessitated amputation.”

Joe Jordan, News Channel Nebraska: “Following the accident, which OSHA says was reported by the company, an OSHA investigation uncovered a variety of safety issues including electrical problems that “exposed workers to live electrical parts.”

The investigation resulted in a dozen major safety violations, and fines totaling nearly $206,000 for “one willful and 11 serious violations.”

Here’s part of the list:

-       Unsafe working surfaces.

-       Fall hazards on platforms and ladders.

-       No readily available eye wash.

-       Lack of kits to handle chemical spills.

-       Improperly trained forklift operators.

-      Unsafe battery maintenance and those electrical hazards.

Nebraska Beef has never responded to our request for comment.

But according to OSHA spokesman Scott Allen, the company has signed an informal settlement agreement and, “All of the cited violations have been abated.”

At the same time Omaha OSHA Director Matthew Thurlby said, “Nebraska’s meat-packing industry has a higher-than-average injury rate,” adding, “We continue to work with the industry and meat processing facilities to improve employee safety and we encourage employers to reach out to us for assistance in developing effective safety plans.”