Three Businesses Fined For COVID-19 Violations

Oregon OSHA has fined two Black Bear Diner sites – one in Bend and one in Redmond – more than $35,000 for violating standards designed to protect employees from the coronavirus disease. Both sites, under the same ownership, willfully continued to potentially expose workers to the virus, despite a public health order limiting the capacity of indoor dining to zero in an “extreme risk” county.

The citations, totaling $35,600 in fines, resulted from inspections launched in response to multiple complaints about the restaurants at Northeast Third Street in Bend and at West Cedar Avenue in Redmond.

The inspections found each site – operating under the legal name Bucc’N Dulge Inc. – willfully allowing indoor dining beginning on or around Jan. 13, 2021, and continuing through Feb. 11, 2021. During that time, Deschutes County was designated an “extreme risk” for transmission of the disease.

During an interview, the owner of the restaurants, Kathy Degree, said she was aware that indoor dining was not allowed in Deschutes County during that time.

Altogether, the inspections documented a total of four violations of workplace health and safety standards at both restaurants. As a result, the following citations were issued:

• In allowing indoor dining at both Black Bear Diner sites, the owner knowingly chose to disregard capacity limitations imposed by the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) for such establishments in a county that was designated as extreme risk. Each restaurant was cited for a willful violation, carrying a penalty of $17,800, under Oregon OSHA’s temporary rule addressing COVID-19 risks in the workplace.

• The owner failed to establish and maintain a safety committee for the restaurants. Safety committees enable workers to regularly participate in addressing potential on-the-job hazards, including discussing such issues with managers. The other-than-serious violation was cited at each location.

Using his discretionary authority under state law, Oregon OSHA Administrator Michael Wood imposed a $17,800 penalty for each of the willful violations. That is twice the minimum penalty for such a violation. The decision reflects the need to ensure a more appropriate deterrent effect where employers insist on disregarding public health measures.

Oregon OSHA has fined Twisted River Saloon in Springfield $18,430 for violating three standards designed to protect employees from the coronavirus disease. In one of the violations, the employer willfully continued to potentially expose workers to the virus, despite a public health order limiting the capacity of indoor dining to zero in an “extreme risk” county.

The citation resulted from an inspection launched in response to multiple complaints about Twisted River Saloon (its legal name is JGB Enterprises LLC). The inspection documented the fact that the company, operating in Lane County, willfully began allowing indoor dining beginning on or around Jan. 4, 2021, and continuing until Feb. 26, 2021. During that time, Lane County was designated an “extreme risk” for transmission of the disease.

During the inspection, the business owner, James Butt, said he chose to reopen the restaurant, even though he was aware that it went against workplace health requirements.

Using his discretionary authority under state law, Oregon OSHA Administrator Michael Wood imposed a $17,800 penalty for the willful violation. That is twice the minimum penalty for such a violation. The decision reflects the need to ensure a more appropriate deterrent effect where employers insist on disregarding health and safety standards.

Such willful behavior puts employees at risk and enables the employer to achieve a competitive advantage over businesses that comply with the requirements.

All three businesses have 30 days to appeal the fines.


Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content