Nebraska Stone Cutting Business Fined $41K

A stone-cutting business in west Omaha, Neb ., has been ordered to pay nearly $41,000 in fines because regulators found 15 safety violations.

The Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration says it found the problems at Baltazar’s Stone Inc. during a November inspection.

Regulators say three workers were exposed to unsafe levels of silica dust.

Business owner Baltazar Sauceda says he plans to appeal because several of the violations and fines appear redundant. Sauceda says his company works to ensure that employees are safe on the job.

The 10-year-old company makes decorative stone used in fireplaces, patios and siding. It also has locations in Lincoln, Norfolk and Columbus, Nebraska, and in Des Moines and Sioux City, Iowa.