TUMWATER, Wash.- The Sunnyside Valley Irrigation District (SVID) is potentially facing up to $168,000 in fines from the Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) for unsafe trenching practices.
The violations were reportedly documented at an SVID work site in December of 2022 when an L&I inspector found and photographed workers in a trench deeper than 4 feet with no safe way to get out and no precautions against cave-ins.
“Unsafe trenches have killed dozens of workers across the United States in the last few years, including five here in Washington state,” said Craig Blackwood, assistant director for L&I’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health.
L&I obtained a search warrant and returned to the site the next day to interview workers. According to L&I’s press release the SVID has been cited with four willful serious violations.
SVID is appealing the violations and NonStop Local has reached out to SVID for comment and is waiting to hear back.
