The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division today released information about agricultural labor housing operators cited for failing to register an agricultural labor housing operation as required by Oregon Administrative Rules.

The locations in Marion County, Yamhill County and Clackamas County were discovered by a team of two OR-OSHA compliance officers assigned specifically to locate and investigate unregistered agricultural labor housing. A total of eight employers received citations for Failure to Register as Agricultural Labor Housing during the Summer 2002 agricultural production season.

During Summer 2002, Oregon OSHA assigned two compliance officers to work full-time on locating unregistered agricultural labor housing facilities throughout the state. A key recommendation of the Legislative Interim Task Force on Farmworker Housing in 2000 was that Oregon OSHA, which has regulatory authority over agricultural labor housing for migrant workers and their families, should make locating and inspecting unregistered housing facilities a priority.

In 2001, 322 dwelling units registered with Oregon OSHA. During the Summer 2002 season, 339 dwelling units were registered with Oregon OSHA, with an additional three units currently in the registration process.

The two compliance officers focused their investigative work in Marion, Polk, Yamhill, Washington and Clackamas counties. The officers identified over fifty locations during this time that potentially met the criteria for agricultural labor housing. Three housing operators registered with the state after being advised they met state standards for labor housing, while an additional five locations were registered without an Oregon OSHA initiated contact. Seven facilities were referred to code enforcement officials in Marion County and Washington County for various reasons.

List of housing operators issued citations and violations listed on citation