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Cal/OSHA fines Blackbird Mountain Guides over avalanche
KCRA • • nation
Key Points:
- California workplace regulators have fined Blackbird Mountain Guides (BMG) $151,300 for safety violations related to the state's deadliest avalanche, which killed six clients and three guides during a Nevada County backcountry ski trip on February 17.
- Cal/OSHA cited BMG for failing to address imminent avalanche hazards, inadequate hazard assessment, insufficient employee training, lack of protective equipment evaluation, and deficiencies in injury prevention programs, among other violations.
- BMG plans to appeal the fines, stating that their safety program complies with industry standards and emphasizing the unpredictable nature of mountain guiding compared to controlled work environments.
- The avalanche occurred under dangerously high conditions with winter storm warnings, and an independent investigation highlighted challenges such as inaccessible terrain that complicated the group's safety.
- The nine victims of the avalanche included skiers from various locations, including Nevada, Florida, California, and Idaho.
