A South Central Washington irrigation district is facing stiff fines for not protecting workers from the dangers of trenching the second time this year.
The Sunnyside Valley Irrigation District is tasked with delivering irrigation water to landowners in Yakima and Benton counties. The district is facing $168,000 in penalties for reportedly unsafe trenching practices. These are the same violations the Department of Labor & Industries cited the district for in October.
At an irrigation district job site in December, 2022, an L&I inspector reportedly photographed workers inside a trench deeper than 4 feet with no safe way to get out and no protective box or shield to prevent a cave-in. There was also reportedly an excavated soil pile near the edge of the trench, adding weight and increasing the danger of collapse.
The employer removed the workers from the trench but refused to give inspectors full access to the site, according to L&I, which returned with a warrant the next day, opened the inspection, and interviewed workers who had been in the trench the day the inspector observed the hazards.
Safety rules intended to prevent cave-ins in Washington include: Any trench 4 feet or deeper must have protection like braced, sloped, or benched walls; and workers must have an easy way to get in and out of the trench safely, like a ramp or ladder.
In September 2022, the district was issued four serious citations for the same types of trenching violations, and the district was required to provide training for their workers on trenching safety.
In this most recent case, L&I cited the district with four willful serious violations. A willful violation is cited when a business owner or contractor intentionally ignores a hazard or rule. As a result of L&I’s enforcement, the irrigation district is now considered a severe violator and is subject to greater scrutiny. It is appealing the latest citation.
Penalty money paid in connection with a citation is placed in the workers’ compensation supplemental pension fund, helping workers who have been seriously injured and the families of those who have died on the job.
Topics Washington
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