OSHA Levies Fines in Idaho Forestry Firefighter LODD

The fire management company has been cited for violations and fined by OSHA following a probe after the death of a U.S. Forest Service firefighter in Idaho last summer.

On Aug. 12, Anne Veseth, 20, was killed when a tree fell while she was part of a crew battling a wildfire.

OSHA has fined the Clearwater-Potlach Timber Protective Association Inc. $14,000 after listing three violations they consider “serious,” according to the Notification of Citation and Penalty.

Investigators determined that the initial attack crew had violated eight of 10 Standing Operational Orders.

Among them were monitoring and keeping crews informed about the weather; knowing where the fire was at all times, not communicating with crews and not maintaining a lookout who could have had possible escape routes.

Also, helicopter bucket drops were occurring without letting ground crews know where they were going to be done.

Crews had no portable shelters and the denim pants they were wearing were not fire resistant.