Moses Lake company fined for safety violations

TUMWATER — A company in Moses Lake has been hit with $192,620 in fines for safety and health violations, according to a press release from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries.

Two Rivers Terminal LLC, which has plants in Pasco and Umatilla as well as in Moses Lake, was cited for 46 serious and 17 general safety and health violations, according to the release.

L&I inspectors found 13 violations relating to confined space entry rules due to workers entering railcar hoppers, the release said. The employees were going in the hoppers to break up and dislodge ammonium nitrate without appropriate safety precautions.

Inspectors also found employees working on top of rail cars and sulfur trucks without fall protection, and failing to make sure the power supply to dangerous equipment was turned off and locked so it couldn’t turn back on. Energy or power control incidents happen when machinery unexpectedly or accidentally gets power and starts up because the power isn’t shut off and locked out, the release said

Additionally, inspectors reportedly found Two Rivers Terminal lacked site-specific safety programs, including an effective training program, and wasn’t requiring employees to wear respirators while working with hazardous chemicals where respirators were required.

Two Rivers Terminal has appealed the citation and fines.