NCW’s Gebbers Farms Reaches $2 Million Settlement with State Over Safety Violations

Gebbers Farm is Okanogan County is spending more than $2 million on worker protections to avoid paying $2 million in fines to Washington state.

The company is agreeing to improve its housing, health care and safety after being cited for the death of two of its farmworkers from COVID-19, and for not reporting a fatality.

The state says it found 24 egregious and willful violations for unsafe sleeping and transportation conditions for workers.

Gebbers operates one of the largest apple orchards in the world, and employs thousands of foreign guest workers under a visa program

The workers are admitted to the United States under the international H-2A visa program

The state Department of Labor & Industries says it reached a settlement with Gebbers following one of the largest workplace safety and health fines in Washington state history.

The department says its investigations found the farm was not ensuring adequate social distancing by allowing workers to use both top and bottom bunks and there were no barriers in the kitchen/cooking areas.

Gebbers will have its fine reduced to $10,000 in exchange for its actions to satisfy the state.

Terms of the settlement were outlined in a news release from the Department of Labor & Industries:

• Gebbers will make approximately $1.4 million in capital improvements to temporary worker housing, including:
  • Demolishing and rebuilding one of its older, temporary worker housing camps. The camp, originally built in the 1970s, has separate sleeping, cooking, and toilet facilities and consistently requires corrective actions to meet minimum licensing requirements. Three new units with all new amenities will be built in its place;
  • Building a cell tower so workers have reliable communication with family;
  • Upgrading electrical to support washing machines and dryers for workers;
  • Purchasing new mattresses for temporary worker housing;
  • Installing air conditioning units and making power upgrades;
  • Installing signs at housing sites so emergency responders can locate them; and,
  • Building and maintaining recreation areas including a soccer field, picnic tables, and benches.
• The company will donate $513,000 to improve access to health care for workers and their families. The money will go to area hospitals, health care centers, emergency medical services, day care and recreational centers serving the workers and their families.
• It will spend $150,000 to hire a full-time safety officer for three years who will:
  • Oversee and supervise worker safety and health, including training and supervising the current staff who develop, implement, and enforce Gebbers' safety program.
  • Has authority to stop any activity deemed unsafe or in violation of the safety and health rules.