SUMAS, Wash. – The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries has fined a Sumas manufacturer following the death of a worker last year.
A statement from L&I says that IKO Pacific has been fined $98,000 in connection with the July 17th, 2021, death.
Investigators found that the company did not follow basic shutdown procedures when a tank component turned on as a contractor was cleaning it.
Additionally, inspectors found that IKO had written plans in place to prevent such incidents from happening, but those plans were not implemented.
As a result of the investigation, IKO was cited for a total of 18 violations, 17 of which were listed as serious violations.
L&I Assistant Director Craig Blackwood said that if IKO had followed proper energy control and confined space procedures, the contractor’s death would have been avoided.
To listen to a full interview with L&I public affairs officer Dina Lorraine, visit our Podcast page.