Poultry company cited for failing to report COVID-19 death

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health has fined Foster Poultry Farms Inc. a total of $181,500 for 14 violations following a COVID-19 safety investigation, the agency announced Monday.

Cal/OSHA said it opened its inspection of the Livingston, California-based company after receiving notification that an employee had died from COVID-19 complications. It subsequently determined that Foster Farms and one of its staffing agencies, Human Bees Inc., did not report the COVID-19 fatality in a timely manner as required.

The Foster Farms plant was fined $103,100 for five serious, one repeat regulatory and two regulatory violations, and its distribution center was fined $78,400 for three serious, one repeat regulatory and two regulatory violations. Human Bees was fined $41,000 for three violations, two serious and one regulatory.

Cal/OSHA said most of the serious violations stemmed from failing to properly communicate, assess, correct and train on COVID-19 workplace hazards.

The agency also cited three other staffing agencies doing business with Foster Farms and assessed fines against them ranging from $16,200 to $36,000.

Foster Farms declined to comment on the citations. Human Bees could not immediately be reached for comment.

More insurance and workers compensation news on the coronavirus crisis here.