The death of a Camas mill worker results in a $650,000 fine

CAMAS Wash. (KPTV) – The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) has sent a citation and fine to the Georgia Pacific mill operator in Camas, WA following the death of a worker crushed by a packaging machine.

L&I fined Georgia Pacific $648,292 in August for safety violations that were found to contribute to the worker's death and other safety problems.

On March 8, the 32-year-old Georgia Pacific employee was discovered by co-workers after they noticed boxes piling up on a conveyor belt. They found the man dead, crushed between large metal arms used to move boxes through the conveyor belt.

In addition to this incident, other safety violations were uncovered, including that no machine guards were in place to protect the worker and that the company did not provide safety devices to ensure that the heavy machinery did not accidentally turn on.

An analysis by Georgia Pacific two years ago mentioned that the machine could only be unlocked if the power was completely turned off. The protective doors to protect the operator were not completed until after the worker's death.

The company is appealing L&I's honor.

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