Cal/OSHA Cites Animal Services Center $563K After Worker Mauled

An animal services center has been fined for several worker safety violations, including one in which an employee’s leg was mauled by a dog, requiring hospitalization.

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health issued $563,250 in penalties to Harbor Animal Services Center in San Pedro for failing to evaluate and correct overcrowding at their animal shelter, which reportedly resulted in animal attacks and bites on employees.

An employee was mauled on May 31 due to the employer’s willful violations of safety regulations, according to Cal/OSHA.

Cal/OSHA found that the employer had significant safety and training lapses, which put employees in harm’s way and resulted in a serious injury to the worker, whose leg was badly mauled, requiring hospitalization.

Cal/OSHA cited Los Angeles City Animal Services operating as Harbor Animal Services Center for six violations, including one general, two willful serious, and three willful serious accident-related in nature.

Cal/OSHA’s key findings of the employer’s failure to protect its employees included:

• The employer failed to evaluate and mitigate risks caused by overcrowding, which led to employee injuries from animal attacks.
• Employees and supervisors received insufficient training in handling animals or using personal protective devices.
• Proper assessment and provision of personal protective equipment were not conducted.
• The lack of an effective communication system delayed critical emergency response and treatment for injuries.

Cal/OSHA is a division of the Department of Industrial Relations.

Topics Workers' Compensation