A timber company in Washington has been fined over $114,000 for breaking child labor laws. The case centers around a 17-year-old worker who suffered a foot injury while working in a logging operation for MVR Timber Cutting Company.
The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries began looking into the situation in May 2024 after reports surfaced about the teenager’s injury. The young worker had fractured their foot after jumping from one tree stump to another.
The investigation revealed that the teen was involved in dangerous tasks typically prohibited for minors. These included high-risk activities associated with logging, which violate both state and federal laws designed to protect young workers. As a result, MVR Timber faced a $56,000 fine for allowing the minor to engage in hazardous work. Furthermore, the company received another $56,000 fine for permitting the minor to work in dangerous zones on 56 separate occasions. There was also a $2,300 fine for not adhering to the limited hours that minors can legally work.
MVR Timber has appealed these fines. The company claims that the injured worker was performing the role of a choker setter, which involves wrapping a cable around fallen trees to help move them.
This incident highlights ongoing concerns about the safety of young workers in industries like logging, where the risks can be significant. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of enforcing regulations that protect minors from hazardous work environments.