The Federal Government recently issued a $480,000 fine for an Upstate company for the way it handled a waste cleanup project in Florida.

Welch Group Environmental is based out of Belton. According the US Department of Labor, Welch Environmental neglected to protect their workers from exposure to unsafe levels of lead during a cleanup in Delray Beach, Fla.

Federal investigators said the company failed to provide eye and head protection while workers were cleaning up lead. Eye and head protection reduce the employees’ exposure to lead, which is a toxic metal. The labor department said in a news release that the company allowed workers to be exposed to lead at levels higher than the safety limits.

Welch has now been places in the severe violator enforcement program by federal officials.

According the company website, Welch Environmental specializes in the removal of lead from indoor and outdoor shooting ranges. This cleanup prevents lead from entering groundwater and wetlands. Along with their office in Belton, Welch also has offices in Anderson and Fair Play, according to the labor department.