OLCC reprimands 12 C.O. bars, restaurants; 5 referred to Oregon OSHA
OSHA to investigate 5 C.O. businesses for possible violations
BEND, Ore., (KTVZ)-- After the Oregon Liquor Control Commission reprimanded 12 bars and restaurants in Deschutes County for failing to ensure social distance over the holiday weekend, it referred five of those businesses to the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
The businesses were Ferguson's Market in Terrebonne, Astro Lounge, Dudas Billiards Bar, Taj Palace Indian Cuisine in Bend and General Duffy's Waterhole in Redmond.
OLCC did not identify the reprimanded businesses under their purview, as licensees are not publicly named at this stage in their investigation process.
NewsChannel 21 reached out to all five businesses Friday afternoon and left messages. A manager at Astro told us they are working to hire more staff and improve their social distancing efforts.
The report states that many people, including staff and patrons, were in close proximity and not wearing masks.
Oregon OSHA spokesman Aaron Covin shared with us that each case is being handled on an individual basis.
He said non-willful and non-repeat cases are subject to fines ranging from a $100 to $12,675. Willful violation fines range anywhere from $8,000 to $126,749.
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OLCC news release:
Portland, OR -- The OLCC is forwarding reports to the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OR OSHA) that nine bars and restaurants may have violated social distancing and face covering requirements. The OLCC is continuing investigations of three non-related cases where bars and restaurants may have violated OLCC rules.
During the Fourth of July holiday weekend, OLCC inspectors found most Oregon bars and restaurants they visited were complying with OLCC rules, following social distancing guidelines, and that employees and patrons were wearing face coverings. The compliance checks were part of a statewide effort to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
OLCC inspectors checked on 800 businesses across Oregon during the three-day period. Inspectors issued 74 verbal instructions to bars and restaurants to comply with social distancing and face covering requirements, or about nine percent of the licensees visited.
Preliminary reports indicated that there were social distancing and face covering problems throughout Lincoln County but upon further investigation those incidents were determined to be localized to businesses outside Newport city limits.
Based on a review of investigators’ accounts, OLCC compliance staff is forwarding nine incident reports to OR OSHA; that’s one percent of the licensed establishments OLCC inspectors checked. It will be up OR OSHA to determine if there were any violations and what action to take.
The OLCC is continuing its investigations of three licensees alleged to be out of compliance with agency rules and will release that information if the licensees are ultimately charged. This coming weekend (July 10th - 12th) OLCC will again send additional inspectors out to make compliance checks.
Oregon OSHA news release:
As Oregon OSHA continues to process and evaluate complaints related to COVID-19, the division encourages workers and members of the public to use its online workplace hazard reporting form.
While people may still call the division with complaints, the online reporting form offers a quicker way to bring concerns to the division’s attention.
“We will continue to take phone calls about workplace hazards concerning the novel coronavirus,” said Michael Wood, administrator for Oregon OSHA. “However, our online system is just as fast – if not faster – at absorbing complaints and allowing us to efficiently respond to them.”
