In a recent inspection, OSHA found three safety violations at Dupont Yard Inc. that it termed willful, including a failure to implement safety procedures that would prevent machinery from starting up or moving during maintenance, which exposed workers to possible amputation of limbs and other serious and possibly fatal injuries.

Also workers could have been caught in or crushed by rotating chains that had no guards, OSHA said.

Dupont Yard operates a saw mill and other equipment to manufacture posts that are used by farmers and in guard rail construction.

OSHA said it also found electrical hazards that resulted from the company’s failure to close electrical panels.

OSHA described willful violations as those committed intentionally or voluntarily and with plain indifference to the health and safety of workers.

For the three willful violations, OSHA is proposing $171,600 in penalties along with a $30,030 penalty for repeat violations of failures found in March 2008 and January 2011 inspections, and $77,700 in penalties for 17 serious safety and health violations.

During four previous inspections over the past six years, OSHA said, it cited Dupont Yard for 39 violations.

Most of those violations are related to the company’s failure to implement a logout/tagout program to prevent injuries during maintenance. Also, OSHA found an accumulation of wood dust on ledges and electrical equipment that it deemed to pose a risk of explosion.

The company has 15 business days to request a conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before an independent commission.

Dupont Yard officials did not respond to a Times-Union request for comment made by voice mail.