State fines trio of companies for knowingly putting warehouse workers at risk for COVID

A trio of businesses operating out of a Centralia distribution center have been fined more than a quarter of a million dollars for knowingly putting their workers at risk for COVID-19.

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According to the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I), the three businesses — United Natural Foods, Capstone Logistics, and Prime 360 — were not following basic safety procedures to limit the spread of COVID. Although one in four employees working in the warehouse between July and October tested positive and five were hospitalized, L&I says no one notified workers that they had been exposed to COVID.

“Our investigation uncovered a widespread outbreak that put employees, their families, and their communities across 10 counties at risk for COVID-19,” L&I Director Joel Sacks said in a press release. “The actions these companies took or failed to take undoubtedly made it worse — contributing to faster and broader spread of the virus in the workplace.”

L&I also cited six other businesses working out of the warehouse “for less serious violations, including not having COVID-19 plans and not keeping proper records.”

United Natural Foods was fined $140,000 for failing to report hospitalizations, not verifying its worker vaccination statuses, and not enforcing mask use. It will also be “subject to increased scrutiny from L&I as part of the severe violator program.”

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Capstone Logistics was fined $75,400, for allowing workers with COVID-19 into the workplace, as well as a handful of other violations. Prime 360 was fined $70,000 for showing “intentional disregard for the health and safety of their workers.”

Both Capstone and Prime 360 are appealing their citations and fines, while the deadline for United Natural Foods to appeal ends on Wednesday.