The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) has levied a fine of $114,300 against MVR Timber Cutting Inc. for infractions related to an injury sustained by a teenager employed by the company. The incident, which occurred in May 2024, involved a 17-year-old worker who fractured his foot while working on a logging site.
Following the injury, the L&I expanded its investigation, which revealed that the teenager was a member of the company’s logging crew. This finding triggered significant penalties due to the inherent dangers of the logging industry and restrictions on employing minors.
“Logging is an incredibly high-injury industry, and teens under the age of 18 are strictly prohibited by federal and state regulations from working in logging occupations because of that danger,” stated Bryan Templeton, employment standards program manager for the L&I.
The department’s penalties included a $56,000 fine for allowing the teen to work in logging operations, calculated at $1,000 for each of the 56 days he was reportedly employed. An additional $56,000 fine was assessed due to the teen’s presence in hard hat zones, which are also off-limits to those under 18. Finally, the company was fined $2,300 for violating regulations concerning the maximum work hours for individuals under 18.
MVR Timber Cutting Inc. has filed an appeal against the citation, contesting the findings and penalties.
