The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) cited and fined Two Rivers Terminal LLC $394,200 for safety violations following the death of 56-year-old Viktor Voloshin. 

Surveillance video from June 7, 2024 shows Voloshin inserting a ladder into an opening on top of the tanker truck, then entering the tank with a garden hose to clean it out before the next delivery of fertilizer. L&I inspectors say the fertilizer residue inside the tank created hydrogen sulfide gas that killed him.

Voloshin had worked for Two Rivers Terminal’s Pasco location for eleven years as a semi-trailer truck driver. He was local to the Pasco area and was the father of 12 children. 

“This incident is heartbreaking and frustrating,” said Craig Blackwood, assistant director for L&I’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health. “Mr. Voloshin’s death was completely preventable. Two Rivers Terminal continues to ignore the safety rules despite being fined over and over again,” said Blackwood. “We hope this significant fine will motivate them to do the right thing to protect their workers.” 

Extensive history of safety violations
At the time of the Voloshin’s death, Two Rivers Terminal was still appealing two safety citations issued by L&I in 2022 and 2023 totaling $672,320. 

In the past three years alone, L&I has cited the company for 96 serious and 43 general violations. This is also not the first time a worker has died at this business: In 2012, a Two Rivers Terminal worker was crushed to death. Three other workers have been hospitalized since 2010. The company is part of L&I’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program. 

In the most recent case, L&I cited Two Rivers Terminal for three willful serious, five repeat serious, and three serious violations for allowing a worker to enter a permit-required confined space without air monitoring, attendants, ventilation, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), or a way to communicate.  They were also cited for not training workers in chemical hazards or on working in confined spaces.

Confined Space Procedures
Because of the dangers of working in enclosed spaces, businesses are required to take specific steps to keep workers safe in these confined areas. A confined space is one that is large enough and arranged so that a worker can fully enter it and work, has limited or restricted entry or exit, and is not designed for continuous human occupancy. Examples include tanks, vessels, silos, storage bins hoppers, vaults, excavations and pits.

Two Rivers Terminal is appealing the most recent case. Fines paid from citations go into the workers’ compensation supplemental pension fund, helping workers and families of those who have died on the job.