Safety regulator seeks criminal prosecution after teen worker loses legs
- September 3, 2025
- Posted by: Web workers
- Category: Workers Comp
Washington’s State Department of Labor and Industries is encouraging a county prosecutor to press charges against an employer for allegedly breaking youth labor laws, leading to an accident that cost a teen worker his legs.
The department said it is seeking criminal charges against Rotschy Inc., a Vancouver-based company, after a teen who was allegedly operating trenching machinery without supervision was injured in an accident.
Mr. Rotschy is accused of allegedly allowing the teen to use dangerous, prohibited machinery unsupervised when he was severely injured, resulting in the amputation of his legs.
It has asked Clark County prosecutors to enforce a statute that allows felony charges, punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine, when a violation of a child labor law leads to a death or permanent disability. The agency said the company has a history of youth labor safety issues.
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