The death of a worker from his alleged exposure to toxic fumes in the tank of a tanker truck has led to another penalty for a Pasco fertilizer manufacturer with a track record of fines from state workplace safety officials.

Two Rivers Terminal LLC was fined $394,200 by the state Department of Labor & Industries following the death of Viktor Voloshin, 56, according to a release. Two Rivers is appealing the fine. Voloshin’s family also has filed a lawsuit against the company. 

State officials say surveillance video from June 7, 2024, shows Voloshin inserting a ladder into an opening on top of the tanker truck, then entering the tank with a garden hose to clean it out before the next delivery of fertilizer. L&I inspectors say the fertilizer residue inside the tank created hydrogen sulfide gas that killed him. 

Voloshin had worked for Two Rivers as a semi-trailer truck driver for 11 years. He was local to the Pasco area and was the father of 12 children.  

“This incident is heartbreaking and frustrating,” said Craig Blackwood, assistant director for L&I’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health, in a release. “Mr. Voloshin’s death was completely preventable. Two Rivers Terminal continues to ignore the safety rules despite being fined over and over again. We hope this significant fine will motivate them to do the right thing to protect their workers.” 

The company has a history of safety violations. It has been cited for 96 serious and 43 general violations in the past three years. One of its employees died on the job in 2012 and three others have been hospitalized since 2010. In addition to the latest penalty, Two Rivers is still appealing two safety citations issued by L&I in 2022 and 2023 totaling $672,320.