OSHA complaint alleges transitional housing workers exposed to high heat hazard

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A transitional housing provider was accused in an anonymous complaint of not providing proper accommodations for workers during high heat.

The non-profit Do Good Multnomah was the subject of the complaint, specifically regarding their transitional housing site located at a former Greyhound bus station in downtown Portland. The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health complaint was filed on July 17.

According to the complaint, "Approximately 16 employees are exposed to high heat with no training or symptoms or a program in place. Temperatures exceed 90 to 100 degrees throughout the housing. The break area provided does not allow for cooling off if employees experience symptoms."

A copy of the complaint, as originally reported by Willamette Week, was shared with KOIN 6 News by the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services. A spokesperson from DCBS said an investigation into the complaint began on July 22, remains ongoing and must be completed by law within 180 days. However, these are usually completed within three or four months.

The transitional housing site is located at 550 NW 6th Ave. and has a 91-person capacity. The Joint Office of Homeless Services said on its website it is funding the shelter.

In response to a KOIN 6 News inquiry, a spokesperson for Do Good Multnomah issued the following statement:

"As the temperatures increased, the shelter staff received gallons of drinking water, 15 additional electric fans, iced neck wraps, and frozen popsicles. There is an ice machine on site. Staff had access to a shaded, open-air break area and were encouraged to take additional breaks and reduce their workload. There is an OSHA-approved emergency binder with a disaster preparedness plan on site at all Do Good locations.

Do Good is committed to working closely with our partners at OSHA to meet and exceed standards of workplace safety in care of our staff and participants."

The date the complaint was filed happened during a weeks-long heat wave that helped push the entire month to be the hottest July on record for Portland.

KOIN 6 also reached out to Multnomah County for comment on Friday afternoon but we haven't received a reply yet.