Washington fruit grower cited in trench collapse

The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries on Tuesday announced a citation and fines against a Wenatchee fruit grower over trench safety violations that led to a worker being buried.

The department said it cited Stemilt Ag Services LLC for five “willful serious” violations in connection with a March incident in which a worker became buried after a crew of 10 employees was repairing an irrigation pipe when a portion of the trench caved in.

Co-workers were able to uncover the man’s face after a couple of minutes so he could breathe while they dug for another 10 minutes to release him from the trench, the department said.

The victim was taken to a local hospital where he was treated for multiple crush injuries to his head, face and body.

“Willful serious” are among the most serious violations in Washington state. The department said Stemilt is appealing the citation.

The company was previously cited for confined space violations.

The department said Stemilt was also cited in 2021 for similar trenching hazard violations and fined nearly $17,000.

The company is now considered a “severe violator” and is subject to follow-up inspections, the department said.