A Vancouver-based construction company racked up over $150,000 in fines after a 16-year-old worker lost both legs to a walk-behind trench machine accident last summer, the Washington Department of Labor and Industries reports.
The teen was reportedly digging a channel for fence posts in La Center when he was dragged underneath the blade of the trencher machine, according to L&I, causing injuries so severe that he lost both legs to amputation.
Following an investigation, L&I fined Rotschy LLC a total of $156,259 for allegedly sending the teen to operate the machine without supervision or adequate safety measures.
The young worker was reportedly enrolled in a work-based learning program that allows students to earn credit and gain experience working outside the classroom, according to L&I.
Per Washington’s youth employment laws, operating walk-behind trench machines was not suitable for minors, L&I investigators concluded.
Rotschy’s violation is considered “willful,” according to L&I, because the company knew or should have been aware of the rules, but failed to follow them. It is also classified as “serious” because the issues could (and in this case did) lead to serious injury.