Food Upcyclers in Hermiston is being sued for $21 million after an employee was seriously injured when he fell into a running package shredder.
Dionisio Ramiez Pablo was working the night shift at Addie’s Alternative in May 2022 when a wet package jammed the shredder he was operating. According to the lawsuit, filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court on May 24, Ramiez Pablo followed his manager’s prior instructions and jumped onto the conveyor belt to remove the package, but fell onto the cutting blade, severely injuring his foot.
The lawsuit alleges that the facility’s management was negligent in failing to implement proper safety measures and provide adequate training to Ramiez Pablo, who speaks little English.
Addie’s Alternative was founded by Luke Dines, who explains the company’s mission on their website: “In 2018, I had an idea to create a better process for recovering packaged food and also creating value in upcycling. At this point, Addie’s Alternative was born as a better alternative to food waste.”
The machine Ramiez Pablo was operating was one of two at the Hermiston facility — one of which had a steel safety guard over the blades, while Ramiez Pablo’s did not.
Not only that, the machine did not comply with state worker safety regulations, and the facility was fined more than $28,000 after the state regulator, the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration, investigated the incident.
Daines, the facility’s owner, did not respond to a request for comment.
