Oregon OSHA Fines Mattress Retailer In Hillsboro More Than $66,000, Including For Willfully Exposing Workers To Vehicle Safety Hazards

Salem,OR (WorkersCompensation.com) — Oregon OSHA has fined Mattress Megastore in Hillsboro more than $66,000 for multiple workplace safety violations, including willfully exposing employees to serious injury or death from potential traffic accidents.

The penalties followed an inspection launched by the division in response to a confidentially filed complaint. The inspection found the employer repeatedly and knowingly exposed employees to potential traffic accidents by requiring them to operate a one-ton box delivery truck that was clearly unsafe.

The truck had no working windshield wipers. Yet, the employer insisted employees use it for deliveries during rainstorms, according to Oregon OSHA’s inspection. The truck had two large cracks in the windshield, obscuring the driver’s line of sight. Still, the employer required employees to use the vehicle for deliveries. Moreover, the driver’s side seatbelt of the same vehicle failed to work.

“Driving is just as important as any other facet of workplace safety,” said Renee Stapleton, administrator for Oregon OSHA. “Taking it for granted only increases the risk of harm to employees. To knowingly neglect vehicle safety is inexcusable.”

In addition to making no effort to protect workers from hazards that were plain to see, Mattress Megastore threatened employees with termination if deliveries weren’t completed using the unsafe truck, according to Oregon OSHA’s inspection. A referral was made to the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, which enforces the anti-retaliation provisions of the Oregon Safe Employment Act.

The willful violation – carrying a $65,000 penalty – went against an Oregon OSHA requirement that forbids employers from allowing employees to drive or ride in any vehicle known to be unsafe. A willful violation exists when an employer has demonstrated either an intentional or purposeful disregard for the requirements of the Oregon Safe Employment Act or a plain indifference to employee safety and health.

Since 2013, Oregon has seen an average of 636 accepted disabling workers’ compensation claims per year for motor vehicle accidents. Meanwhile, the state averages about 51,000 traffic crashes per year, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation.

The citation included a standard penalty reduction based on the small size of the company. Employers have 30 calendar days after receiving a citation to file an appeal.