WA: Centralia Businesses Fined More Than a Quarter of a Million Dollars Collectively After 250 Workers Contract COVID-19 in the Same Warehouse, Tumwater, WA - When workers housed in Thurston County hotels and ..
TACOMA Three businesses tied to grocery distribution in Centralia were assessed more than a quarter-million dollars in fines Tuesday by the state’s department of Labor & Industries over COVID-19 safety violations between July and October.
Evans Fruit Co. was cited last summer and issued a $6,600 fine came after an L&I; inspection of several locations that showed employees were not wearing face masks, having temperatures checked or social distancing.
Last fall, the agency received an anonymous complaint, prompting an L&I; inspector to visit again, finding workers who were not social distancing or didn’t have physical barriers between them. The inspector also found several employees not wearing masks and was told by a safety manager that he did not require masks.
The inspection prompted L&I; to issue an Order and Notice of Immediate Restraint requiring immediate COVID-19 safety and health rule compliance the following day. The company came into compliance within a half-hour of receiving the notice.
Yakima area fruit grower fined $156K for COVID-19 violations
L&I said Evans Fruit Co. knew employees were required to wear masks and the employer knowingly did not enforce it.
Credit: Washington Department of Labor and Industries
Washington Department of Labor and Industries Author: Kaitlin Riordan Updated: 12:53 PM PST January 27, 2021
COWICHE, Wash. The Washington Department of Labor and Industries fined a Yakima area fruit grower and processor $156,000 for violating COVID-19 workplace requirements.
In a press release Wednesday, L&I officials said Evans Fruit Co., Inc. was cited for not following workplace COVID-19 mask and social distancing. This is the third time in recent months the company has been cited for COVID-19 violations, according to L&I. Officials said the company knew employees were required to wear masks and the employer knowingly did not enforce it. Because L&I considers the violations willful, the agency said the penalty i