Sweet Potato Farm Fined After Worker’s Death

March 20, 2024

North Carolina farm to appeal fine for safety violations

  • A sweet potato farm in North Carolina was fined over $187,000 following the death of one of its workers last year, the N.C. Department of Labor reported Monday.
  • Investigators began an inspection of state OSHA standards after José Alberto Gonzalez Mendoza died. The 30-year-old had passed out from apparent heat exhaustion while picking sweet potatoes the previous day.
  • Barnes Farming Corp., located in Spring Hope, was cited with the maximum penalties for three serious violations — one of them designated as “willful” — of the North Carolina OSHA,
  • The total penalty is $187,509, but the company plans to appeal the citations.
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OSHA increases fines

  • OSHA increased the maximum fines for violations, now reaching up to $16,000 per violation — a reminder for businesses to prioritize safety and compliance in the workplace.
  • In response to this, Safety Result Professionals LLC is stepping up to assist businesses in staying compliant and avoiding hefty fines.
  • Under the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015, OSHA has the authority to increase penalties, with maximum fines ranging from $16,131 per violation for Serious violations to $161,323 per violation for Willful or Repeated violations.
  • With the new maximum fines in place, businesses must ensure that they are following all safety regulations and guidelines set by OSHA. Failure to do so can result in costly penalties that can impact a company’s profits.
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North Carolina doesn’t adopt new rules for infectious diseases at farms

  • The N.C. Department of Labor has chosen not to adopt new infectious disease rules for farms and construction companies.
  • Petitions were filed for the creation of infectious disease rules for migrant housing and for employers in the agricultural and construction industries in the event of a future public health emergency.
  • The groups wanted the state to put requirements in place for face masks, personal protective equipment and social distancing standards.
  • The rules would have applied to work sites, employee housing quarters, and buses or other vehicles used to transport workers.
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OSHA working on six new rules

  • OSHA is working on six economically significant rulemakings, including developing a workplace violence prevention rule.
  • OSHA’s economically significant rulemakings include two in the pre-rule stage and four in the proposed rule stage.
  • The two rulemakings in the pre-rule stage are for process safety management, prevention of workplace violence in healthcare and social assistance, infectious diseases, and tree care.
  • The other rules being considered are communication for tower safety which has a high fatality rate and emergency response to replace the agency’s nearly 44-year-old fire brigades standard.
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