Following worker death, Worcester cannabis firm reaches $14K OSHA settlement
PHOTO | Courtesy of Google Maps
Trulieve's cannabis dispensary in Worcester
Trulieve Cannabis Corp. of Tallahassee, Florida, will pay a $14,502 fine after reaching a settlement with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration relating to the death of a 27-year-old worker at its Holyoke cannabis cultivation and processing facility in January.
The original fine was $35,219, according to the Thursday announcement by Trulieve.
Trulieve, which has dispensaries in Framingham, Worcester and Northampton, said the OSHA deal includes additional health and safety protocols at the company’s cannabis manufacturing facilities.
The 27-year-old employee, Lorna McMurrey, was hospitalized after filling pre-rolled joints with ground cannabis flower at the Holyoke facility when she became unable to breathe after inhaling cannabis dust, federal officials allege. She died at a hospital on Jan. 7. The Boston Globe reported in October the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission was investigating the facility before McMurry’s death after receiving complaints from workers.
As part of the agreement, Trulieve will perform a study to determine whether ground cannabis dust will be classified as a hazardous chemical in the occupational setting, according to OSHA regulations. The study is set to be completed in May. Until the study is finished, Trulieve agreed to design a new training program alerting employees to the possibility of allergic reactions when working with ground cannabis dust, which will include steps employees should take if they experience symptoms of an allergic reaction.
Trulieve agreed to make employees more aware of possible job transfers, making the temporary information and job program permanent, invest in solutions to limit exposure to the ground cannabis where the grinding happens, and getting health professionals to develop a guidance program for employees on how to manage health impacts from exposure to ground cannabis.
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