Nippon Dynawave Fined $77,800 Over Worker Safety Violations at Washington Paper Mill

Nippon Dynawave Packaging has been fined $77,800 by the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) following an investigation into a March workplace accident in which an employee fell into a sinkhole filled with hot pulp at the company's paper mill in Longview.

The penalties relate to the company's failure to adequately protect workers from thermal and engulfment hazards during a pulp spill at the facility.

According to the investigation, the incident began when a tank valve was left open, allowing hot liquid pulp to escape onto the ground and create a hole in the asphalt. A worker climbed onto piping to close the valve and stop the spill. However, while attempting to return to the ground, he fell into the approximately four-foot-deep sinkhole.

The pulp was estimated to be around 145 degrees Fahrenheit (63 degrees Celsius) and covered most of the worker's body. According to reports obtained by KOIN 6 News, the employee became trapped in the hot material and later told investigators that he feared he might not survive the incident.

Two workplace safety violations

Washington L&I issued two separate citations against Nippon Dynawave.

The first, classified as a willful serious violation, concerned employee exposure to thermal and engulfment hazards. It carries a penalty of $74,910.

The second, classified as a serious violation, involved the company's failure to implement a hazardous piping programme for its paper machine pulp system. This violation resulted in an additional fine of $2,890.

The company has been instructed to correct both violations by December 1.

Company reports corrective action

Following the incident, Nippon management reportedly agreed to instruct employees not to enter areas affected by spills and to develop procedures and controls for closing valves without exposing workers to hazardous conditions.

A spokesperson for Nippon said the company had conducted a full internal investigation following the accident and implemented corrective measures.

The safety citations are separate from the May incident at the same Longview mill, when a chemical tank failed and the facility experienced an explosion and structural collapse.