A North Georgia chicken plant and its associated companies face $1 million in fines and dozens of citations from OSHA over the deaths of six workers and injuries of a dozen in a nitrogen accident in January.

The agency announced 59 citations and the fines against Foundation Food Group, which runs the Gainesville plant, along with two other associated companies: Messer LLC - a nitrogen gas company, and FS Group Inc, a food processing equipment maker.

"Make no mistake, this was an entirely preventable tragedy," Labor Secretary Marty Walsh said at an Atlanta news conference on Friday, July 23, 2021.

OSHA's investigation found that the companies failed to implement needed safety protocols to prevent the leak, the workers were not taught about the dangers of nitrogen, and they lacked the training and equipment to save lives.

The company posted on its website, "As our community continues to heal, we extend our continued sympathies and prayers to the families and friends of those lost."

The accident occurred on Jan. 28 when a freezer using nitrogen as a coolant failed, Labor Department officials said at the news conference.

Supercooled nitrogen was used at the plant to quick-freeze chicken patties, tenders and individual cuts which were sold to restaurants and food service operations.

Several employees were trying to troubleshoot the leaking freezer and were overcome by the gas as were others when the gas spread, officials said.

Nitrogen, typically an inert gas that becomes a liquid when supercooled, is widely used in frozen-food processing plants. However, liquid nitrogen gas released in a confined space can rapidly displace oxygen in the air and lungs, leading to unconsciousness and lethal asphyxiation.