WASHINGTON, April 8 (Reuters) - The U.S. Labor

Department said on Monday that SK Battery America faces $77,200

in fines for five serious safety violations after workers in

Georgia suffered potentially permanent respiratory damage in an

October 2023 lithium battery fire.

In January, the department said SK Battery, a supplier for

Volkswagen and Ford Motor ( F ), exposed employees

at a U.S. battery plant to unsafe levels of nickel and other

metals, and faces $75,000 in fines over six serious violations.