Seafood company cited for ship dangers, unsanitary conditions

Operators of a seafood processing vessel were cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration over claims that the company exposed workers to various dangers and unsanitary conditions while at sea. 

OSHA on Thursday announced citations against Kodiak, Alaska-based East West Seafoods LLC and its owner for two repeat serious violations, 17 serious violations and one additional violation after a July 2022 investigation allegedly found murky water in the drinking supply of the F/V Pacific Producer along with other unsanitary conditions.

OSHA said crew members were also being served expired food and inspectors determined that water being used to process fish was leaking into dry storage and into the ship’s dining area.

Inspectors also uncovered various electrical hazards aboard the ship, such as ungrounded extension cords and exposed wiring, damaged and improperly installed electrical equipment, broken outlets and outlets near water, as well as a lack of fire suppression equipment.

OSHA proposed $208,983 in penalties. The company has contested the citations.

The U.S. Coast Guard aided in the investigation. 

The company was cited over similar accusations in 2012, 2014 and 2018.

In 2017, a federal judge sentenced the company and its owner, Christos Tsabouris, to five years of probation and $50,000 in fines after the U.S. Justice Department found the company intentionally discharged oily bilge water and 1,000 gallons of raw sewage into the ocean about three miles off the Alaskan coast and subsequently gave false records to the U.S. Coast Guard, according to OSHA.