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OSHA, cannabis company reach $14k settlement in Holyokeworker’s death

Initially cited for three OSHA violations, Trulieve will pay a reduced fine for failing to conduct a hazard analysis. 

Cannabis company Trulieve has reached a settlement with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration over a Holyoke employee's 2022death. 

The Associated Press

By Abby Patkin

updated on January 4, 2023

Cannabis company Trulieve willpay $14,502 after reaching a settlement with the Occupational Safety and HealthAdministration over the death ofan employee who worked at Trulieve’s Holyoke cultivation site. 

Lorna McMurrey, 27, was fillingpre-rolls at the facility in January 2022 when she said she couldn’tbreathe. An OSHA investigation found that she had inhaled groundcannabis dust and died of occupational asthma.

OSHA:Cultivation facility worker died after inhaling ground cannabis dust

·        Marijuanaregulators were investigating Holyoke cultivation facility before worker’sdeath

InJune, OSHA fined Trulieve a total of $35,219 for three violations of hazardcommunication standards. Two of those citations were dropped as part of thesettlement, which Trulieve announced late last month. The company said ina press release thatit will pay a reduced fine for failing to conduct a hazard analysis. 

“We’repleased to have entered into this agreement with OSHA,” Trulieve CEO Kim Riverssaid in a statement. “We are proud of the many protections we have already putin place for our workers. However, as an industry leader in what is still a relativelynew manufacturing business, we want to continue to establish best practices, soour workers can have the health and safety assurances they need.”

Under its agreement with OSHA, Trulievesaid it will perform a study to determine whether ground cannabis dust needs tobe classified as a “hazardous chemical” in the occupational setting. Work on that studywill be completed by May 29, according to the press release. 

“Pendingthe outcome of the study, Trulieve will design and implement a temporary informationand training program that alerts employees to potential allergic reactions theymight experience working with ground cannabis dust in an occupational setting,”the press release continued.

Workon that program is already underway, according to Trulieve. 

Thecompany said it will also evaluate other steps, including investigating“options to better limit access and exposure to the areas where commercialgrinding of cannabis occurs.”

“Increased-scalemanufacturing in our industry is a relatively new endeavor and we aredetermined to continually ask questions and seek answers to make our workplacethe safest and healthiest it can possibly be,” Rivers said in the pressrelease.

Thecompany intends to keep working with state and federal regulators to ensureworkers are treated well, she added.

InOctober, Massachusetts’ Cannabis Control Commission confirmed that itbegan investigating Trulieve’sHolyoke facility in the fall of 2021 due to employee complaints.

Acommission spokesperson told Boston.com on Wednesday that the investigation ofTrulieve in Holyoke remains active, but did not say when it is expected toconclude. 

“Theagency continues to collaborate with the Occupational Safety and HealthAdministration (OSHA), which maintains primary jurisdiction of incidentsinvolving workplace safety,” the spokesperson said.

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