By the Eugene Register-Guard
State officials have fined a second Florence restaurant more than $18,000 for three violations of guidelines meant to protect employees from COVID-19.
Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced Wednesday it had fined Firehouse Restaurant & Lounge for allowing indoor dining, failing to have an infection control plan and not conducting a risk assessment.
Firehouse is the second restaurant in Florence the state has fined this month for re-opening for indoor dining. Oregon OSHA announced Tuesday it had fined Little Brown Hen in Florence $17,800.
The restaurant is closed Wednesdays and did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Several complaints sparked an inspection of the restaurant, and OSHA decided to conduct the inspection by phone after “an investigation of social media posts and websites discovered the potential for armed people to block access to the business,” according to a news release.
“Moreover, the investigation showed that some extremist groups were encouraging people to engage in violence against Oregon OSHA compliance officers if they visited the site,” the release adds.
The inspection by phone, which included an interview with restaurant manager Kylie McKenzie, found Firehouse had been violating state guidelines since around Dec. 26.
McKenzie told inspectors she originally closed the business to the public, the release says, but decided to re-open “even though she was aware the decision went against measures to prevent the spread of the disease in an extreme-risk county.”
Inspectors cited three violations of temporary rules to address COVID-19 risks in the workplace:
- Disregarding capacity limitations by allowing indoor dining. This was a willful violation for which Oregon OSHA proposed a discretionary penalty of $17,800.
- Failing to develop and implement and infection control plan. This was a serious violation carrying a proposed penalty of $175.
- Not conducting a risk assessment to identify potential employee exposure to the virus and to address how to reduce such exposure. This was a serious violation carrying a penalty of $175.
Michael Wood, administrator for Oregon OSHA, chose to impose the $17,800 fine for the willful violation — twice the minimum for that kind of violation — to “ensure a more appropriate deterrent effect where employers insist on disregarding public health measures,” according to the release.
“Throughout the pandemic, we have consistently helped employers understand and follow health and safety rules. Most employers are choosing to do the right thing in the face of immense challenges,” Wood said in a statement. “We thank them for their ongoing efforts as we work to defeat this disease. As for the vocal few that continue to defy standards and to put their workers at risk, we will continue to carry out our enforcement work.”
Firehouse Restaurant’s owners have 30 days to appeal.