State fines Galt contractor $77,900 for safety violations

The Department of Industrial Relations' Division of Occupational Safety and Health has assessed fines of $77,900 against a Galt-based farm labor contractor found to be in violation of California's heat illness prevention regulations.

An investigation of Solis Farm Labor was opened May 29 after the death of Maria Vasquez Jimenez, an employee of Merced Farm Labor Contractor, who had been working in a San Joaquin County vineyard for nine hours with little water and no shade. Employees of Solis Farm Labor were working in the same vineyard as Jimenez and other employees of Merced Farm Labor Contractor, according to a statement released by the department Tuesday.

Jimenez had been living in Lodi since Feburary when she came to the United States to work.

While Jimenez was not employed by Solis FLC, many of the health and safety violations that contributed to her death were also observed by Cal/OSHA investigators at the Solis FLC work site.

"We will not tolerate employers who put their workers' lives at risk by violating key provisions of the heat illness prevention regulations," said Cal/OSHA Chief Len Welsh in the statement.

Last month, Cal/OSHA issued citations and fines of $262,700 against Merced FLC, and Cal/OSHA has referred the case to the San Joaquin County District Attorney for possible criminal prosecution.

Solis Farm Labor was cited for failing to provide single-use disposable cups at water stations, implement an illness and injury prevention program, have written procedures for complying with heat illness prevention requirements and failure to maintain a properly equipped first aid kit at the work site.

Reader Feedback

T&C wrote on Aug 13, 2008 8:38 PM:

" Edumacation, and dense T & C probably thought I was joking. When I lived in Bakersfield in the 80's, the border patrolled the surrounding farmlands, especially the table grape vineyards and they'd always joke about just cruising the old roads looking for anything suspicious or responding to a call, that nearly every field with laborers harvesting would send at least half the field crew heading for cover. "

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Edumacation wrote on Aug 13, 2008 3:56 PM:

" To T & C: I know teacher who bought an old Border Patrol car on auction. You could clearly see where the deacals were on the car, the lights etc. He was visiting Kmart one day and noticed people running away -- flat out sprinting, dropping bags and other items as they ran. Instead of repainting the carhe left it pea breen. He polished up chrome a little and installed a large CB antenna to the side. Well, he never had parking problems again. He would drive through the parking lot for amusement, watching people scurry away like rodents under a spotlight. Zoooom! I don't want to give you any ideas! But buying and old car like this seems to be an act of patriotism. Help the government with income and as an encouragement for the lawless community to flee. That became his new hobby. Honk honk Vrroom! "

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T&c wrote on Aug 13, 2008 8:44 AM:

" T & C, why don't you get yourself a green and white auto and drive around the fields where they're harvesting and picking here and watch those field hands head for the hills when they see that green and white? LOL "

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T & C wrote on Aug 13, 2008 7:18 AM:

" ""We will not tolerate employers who put their workers' lives at risk by violating key provisions of the heat illness prevention regulations," said Cal/OSHA Chief Len Welsh in the statement"! How about we will NOT tolerate illegal people to remain in our country? I would get 2 years in a mexican prison if I squatted in Mexico, and said, "What ya gonna do, I'm here to stay"? "

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