Washington Dairy Worker Death May Lead to More Regulations

December 4, 2015

The investigation into the death of a Mabton, Wash. dairy worker who drowned in a manure pit shows the man had drugs in his system.

Randy Vasquez drowned March 4 in a manure storage lagoon at Riverview Ranch. The dairy was fined more than $2,000 as a result of his death.

The Yakima Herald-Republic reported that the Yakima County coroner found Vasquez had a non-fatal amount of methamphetamine in his system at the time of his death, a fact the farm used to prove they were not at fault in his death.

worker-fatalitiesVasquez’s girlfriend Nubia Guajardo is working with the United Farm Workers Union as the group lobbies throughout the country for safer working conditions.

Guajardo says the drugs do not excuse the fact that dairies are dangerous workplaces.

Topics Legislation Agribusiness Washington

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Latest Comments

  • December 7, 2015 at 3:17 pm
    Where's OSHA? says:
    I didn't see anything here about OSHA violations. Maybe the dairy was not negligent.
  • December 7, 2015 at 9:39 am
    Agent says:
    Perhaps the dairy was guilty of not drug testing the employee to start with for suitability to work. It is a good thing he wasn't employed to drive a milk truck or he may hav... read more
  • December 4, 2015 at 4:55 pm
    Fair Playing Field says:
    They must have missed you, too.

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