The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries has imposed a fine of nearly $650,000 on Georgia-Pacific following the death of an employee at its Camas mill.
Dakota Cline, 32, lost his life on March 8 while working on a machine at Georgia-Pacific's paper mill in Camas, located about 20 miles northeast of Portland, Oregon. The investigation revealed that permanent safety guards had been removed in 2017 and replaced with an inadequate fence, allowing access to dangerous areas.
Authorities found that the company had failed to follow basic procedures to prevent accidental machine start-ups and had not implemented sufficient measures to protect employees working in isolated areas.
Georgia-Pacific is appealing the decision. The fine amount will be deposited into a fund designed to support workers and families of those who have died in workplace accidents.
This incident highlights the critical importance of maintaining strict safety protocols in industrial settings and the severe consequences that can result from neglecting these measures.