Dive Brief:
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Nature’s Capital, an environmental surveying company based in Boise, Idaho, was issued several citations and a $15,120 fine by the Wyoming Occupational Safety and Health Administration (WYOSHA), following a tragic employee death, SHRM reports.
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Adam Stewart, 31, died of blunt-force trauma from a suspected bear attack in September 2014 while on assignment doing vegetation survey work for Nature’s Capital.
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OSHA officials say the company failed to adequately protect employees from contact with bears, failed to assess the workplace for hazards and failed to provide training to employees in the use of personal protective equipment and first aid.
Dive Insight:
WYOSHA administrator John Ysebaert, SHRM-SCP, said Stewart had e-mailed the company and his family while on assignment, expressing worry for his safety, but the company had not responded with better equipment or training. Stewart was still a new hire, only a month into the job, when the attack occurred.
Ysebaert said in the his report that Nature’s Capital should have provided bear spray and noisemakers to deter any bears, and also should have required a trip itinerary from Stewart as well as a check-in process. “Not implementing the industry-recognized practices to avoid bear contact” contributed to Stewart’s death, according to the citation.
As the SHRM article notes, this unfortunate incident serves as a reminder to HR that employers should keep in mind all possible workplace hazards.
