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Agricultural giant ConAgra Foods reached an agreement today with the North Carolina Department of Labor OSHA division. Under the agreement, ConAgra has consented to pay $106, 440 in fines for safety negligence that led to a June 2009 explosion at a Slim Jim plant in Garner, NC. Four workers were killed, and over 20 injured, in the explosion, which was caused when a contractor left gas running into an enclosed space. The contracting company, Energy Systems Analysts of Hickory, is also in discussion with the NC Department of Labor over a possible $58,000 fine. Under the NC OSHA terms, ConAgra also commits to stricter pre-screening procedures for contractors as well as an effort to integrate the contractors' safety programs with those of ConAgra. The Garner Slim Jim plant was reopened over the summer, but laid off almost half of its 750-person workforce in late November.