After two employees die of COVID-19, Dallas meat plant fined $25,000

A Texas meat plant was fined $25,000 after two employees died of the coronavirus, officials say.

Quality Sausage was issued fines for penalties related to properly reporting and recording deaths or injuries at the Dallas plant, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

The employees died of COVID-19 within days of each other in the spring. Mathias Martinez died April 24 after testing positive for COVID-19, and Hugo Dominguez, a forklift operator, died a day later, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram previously reported.

“The health and well-being of our team members is extremely important to us,” Quality Sausage told WFAA in a statement. “Every impact of this crisis, including any illness or loss, is deeply felt and affects all of us.”

The company said it closed on the day of the first death and reopened about two weeks later with limited production after a review by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Occupational Safety and Health Organization.

The family of Dominguez has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Quality Sausage.