OSHA, US Coast Guard Find Unsanitary Conditions Aboard Seafood Processing Vessel
The company and owner now face citations for 20 violations and proposed penalties of over $200,000.
- By Alex Saurman
- Feb 21, 2023
Unsanitary conditions have left one ship operator in hot waters.
According to a news release, ship operator East West Seafood LLC is facing citations after OSHA and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) found violations aboard the F/V Pacific Producer.
An inspection began in July 2022 but was put on pause when the 472-ton vessel set sail from Kodiak, Alaska. With effort from the USCG’s Sector Puget Sound and OSHA, the inspection wrapped up once the vessel docked in Seattle three months later.
The USCG and OSHA identified unsanitary and hazardous conditions onboard the ship relating to unclean water in the drinking water supply, expired food, areas—such as where the dry food was kept and the dining area—contaminated by leaking “water used to process fish,” electrical hazards such as outlets exposed to water and a lack of a fire suppression system, OSHA said.
East West Seafood LLC, along with Christos Tsabouris, the owner, was issued citations for 20 violations: two repeat serious, 17 serious and one other than serious. They also face proposed penalties totaling $208,983.
Conditions that OSHA Acting Regional Administrator Jack A. Rector called “disgusting and dangerous” have been found on this vessel dating back to 2012. Machine guarding and a chemical leak, among other violations, were identified in previous inspections, along with hazards similar to those found during the most recent inspection.
“This employer’s blatant and continued disregard for crews aboard the F/V Pacific Producer must end before tragedy strikes,” Rector said in the news release. “The U.S. Department of Labor and its federal partners will use their full enforcement powers to hold East West Seafoods and Christos Tsabouris accountable for their callous neglect and contempt for federal workplace safety standards.”
The citations have been contested.
About the Author
Alex Saurman is a former Content Editor for Occupational Health & Safety,who has since joined OH&S’s client services team. She continues to work closely with OH&S’s editorial team and contributes to the magazine.