Ontario, Oregon
“Where Oregon Begins” is the motto of this small city on the Oregon-Idaho border. Founded on the banks of the Snake River by four real estate developers (one of whom was originally from Canada – thus the naming of the new city after the Canadian province) Ontario is midway between Portland and Salt Lake City. Today, Ontario is home to around 11,300 people.
The surrounding areas of Malheur County are rural, but combine agriculture with industry, thanks in no small part to Ontario’s large Heinz Frozen Foods plant which processes the potatoes, onions and sugar beets for which the region is known. Matthew D. Kaplan offers Oregon legal services tailored to the unique needs of a community like Ontario where anything from tractor accidents to industrial accidents may occur. His office at 50 SW Pine St in Portland offers the sort of peace of mind that can only come from hiring an attorney skilled in a range of legal issues at the state and regional level.
Data compiled by the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services clearly indicate that food manufacturing and processing have a higher-than-average accident rate. Statewide, all industries (including state and local governments themselves) average 4 nonfatal occupational injuries annually per 100 full-time workers. In the category of “fruit and vegetable preserving and specialty food manufacturing”, however, the rate is far higher: 6.4 accidents per 100 employees. One-third of those cases were serious enough that they required the victims to miss work.
For further perspective, it is worth adding that the food processing industry’s accident rate is actually higher than that of mill work (5.4 per 100), chemical manufacturing (3.5) or construction (2.9) – all industries that we tend to think of as unusually dangerous.
Statistics like these remind us of the importance of Oregon’s industrial accident laws and the protections they offer ordinary workers. When an accident takes place at work it is important to examine all of the potential causes. Employers have a legal obligation to provide a safe work place, but equipment manufacturers are also obliged to ensure that their products come with appropriate training and operational instructions. Similarly, companies leasing machinery to someone else must be sure that it is properly maintained and in good working order.
Matthew D. Kaplan’s broad experience in this complex legal area is especially important in a community like Ontario, where Oregon industrial accidents traceable to defective, improperly maintained or improperly used farm, factory or warehouse equipment are a danger to everyday life. Matthew D. Kaplan views helping ordinary citizens defend their rights as his first and most important job.
While the law office of Matthew D. Kaplan is physically distant from Ontario, it offers a range of Oregon legal services that can only be found in the state’s largest city. The office phone number is (503) 226-3844, and Matthew D. Kaplan offers initial consultations free of charge, to help clients determine what legal approach best suits their needs.