Washington Company Fined $199K After Worker Death

The Washington Department of Labor & Industries has fined an Everett company $199,000 for 16 safety violations related to the death of a worker last July.

Nineteen-year-old Bradley Hogue was killed by a rotating auger while working inside the hopper of a bark-blower truck at a Duvall home.

State officials said on Monday Pacific Topsoils has been identified as a severe violator and will be subject to follow-up inspections.

The state investigation found that workers were regularly assigned to clear jams in the bark-blower truck hoppers while the machines were operating. The employer has 15 working days to appeal the citation.

Phone calls and an e-mail seeking comment from the company on Monday afternoon were not immediately returned.

Following the July incident, state officials sent out an alert to warn others in the landscaping business of the danger of working in hoppers while the equipment is running.