Cal-OSHA investigating Tahoe Keys Marina
By Kathryn Reed
Cal-OSHA officials were at Tahoe Keys Marina earlier this month looking to see if the South Lake Tahoe facility is in compliance. It’s not.
“We are working on getting all of our forklifts and equipment up to standard,” a marina employee who didn’t want to be named told Lake Tahoe News. “We are trying to upgrade everything to get everything up to standard so we have a good summer.”
Marina General Manager Robert Spinnato did not return multiple calls.
Per Cal-OSHA, forklifts are not supposed to be used by Tahoe Keys Marina staff. Photo/LTN
Despite the state ban on using certain equipment, a source close to the marina told Lake Tahoe News that employees are continuing to use the equipment and did so last week to unload a handful of boats.
Boats can still launch and the Fresh Ketch restaurant is open. But the marina is not supposed to be using some of its equipment because employees have not been properly trained and inspections have not regularly been completed per state law.
OSHA is reportedly looking at service manuals to know when and how equipment was maintained.
“We have an open inspection with them. We don’t release information until the investigation is complete,” William Estakhri with Cal-OSHA told Lake Tahoe News. “That is usually six months.”
The state Occupational Safety and Health Administration opens an investigation when an employee files a complaint, there has been an injury or a complaint has been filed. Cal-OSHA is designed to protect workers from health and safety hazards in the workplace.
Peter Milton, spokesman for Cal-OSHA, told Lake Tahoe News that every business is supposed to have an injury and illness prevention program. They are also required to have a training and safety program.
It is possible the marina will be fined if any infractions are found at the end of the investigation.
The marina uses a 1979 travel lift to haul boats out. It is rated at a maximum capacity of 69,000 pounds, but has been used to transport vessels weighing more than that, according to a boat owner who didn’t want to be named.
The marina is also having to deal with a lake level that will be unseasonably low this year because of the drought. While an employee said the paperwork for a dredging permit has been submitted, the permitting agency said that is not true.
Alan Miller with the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board told Lake Tahoe News his office has spoken with a consultant for the marina, but no application has been submitted. He added that one is expected this week.
Lahontan has 30 days to review the permit to make sure it is complete. It’s possible a permit could be issued within two weeks.
Miller added that he is expecting the application to be multifaceted and to also include chemical treatments.
The Tahoe Keys Property Owners Association is responsible for the main channel that homeowners use. The organization has not filed for a dredging permit, according to Miller.
Boy, this IS a surprise! What is amazing, is that the entire facility hasn’t burnt down yet. Just goggle the owners names. The flames are a coming.
With the Keys Marina being under investigation by Cal-OSHA, this could be a pretty big deal. If they’re non compliant and haven’t filed for a dredging permit then they are done, except for maybe the small boats with a shallow draft that use the boat ramp.
I’d like to hear from the other marina owners about the accesabilty to the lake from their boat ramps and what’s your current depth in the main channel to the lake. Monsoor Elie Alyshmrry(sorry if I misspelled your name Monnsoor! but )what’s the condition and depth of Ski Run Marina and your channel to the lake? Camp Richardson? How you guys lookin’? Will the Cave Rock ramp be open? If you launch at Cave Rock be aware of the rocks just under the surface to the the east / southeast side of the ramp.
Because of the low lake level, it looks like it’s a good time to get the canoe back in the water! OLS
I’ve noticed that every time something negative comes out about the Tahoe Keys Marina , general manager Robert Spinnato is nowhere to be found. No wonder why their having so many issues !
OLS, I don’t believe that Monsoor has anything to do with dredging at Ski Run. As I recall its on the marina operator, Ron Williams to dredge the inner channel and Aramark who operates the paddle boat to do the outer channel. Big money to do this work as it falls under environmental agency control and permitting and rules. I don’t think they dredge at Cave Rock, too many boulders around the area plus its pretty deep around there. I don’t think Camp Rich dredges either. Don’t recall ever seeing a channel there.
the Keys Marina is a dead horse.
after these folks took it from Ray the place has been going down hill.
they probably want to put in Million Dollar Condos instead of boats.
they certainly do not need that new parking lot.
reza, Thanks for the information on Ski Run Marina. I worked there as a kid and I still have a soft spot in my heart for that place. A lot of memories… I saw the Kingsmen play “Louie, Louie ” there in 63′ or 64′!
I hope Monsoor, Aramark and Capt. Ron can get the dredging done at my old stompin’ grounds.
Over at Camp Richardson, several years ago, you couldn’t launch due to the low lake level. Too many people backing their boat trailers WAY out into the lake and getting stuck in the soft sand trying to float their boat off the trailer. Same thing for the city owned ramp on Lakeview. Cave Rock ramp is a good launch but on a busy weekend good luck finding a parking spot for truck and trailer and of course watch for the the rocks just under the surface as you head out.
I guess we’ll just deal with it, but again, thanks for the clarification on who’s in charge of what. OLS
Chief they need the new parking lot because our dear friend Bill couldn’t stay sober long enough to walk by a trailer. After the city council voted to do something Bill wanted, Bill got what he wanted which is to ban trailer parking on Venice. That closed off access for most of us to Keys Marina. The Marina had a $300 locals pass for launching there, but we cant use it because there is no parking. This all because a prior city council needed Bill to vote on another bill.
Supposedly the Keys Marina is the only marina in the city of SLT at minimum that is allowed to do certain launches at certain times.
Spinnato u moron… Big mouth til it comes to the hard questions huh?
This is what happens when you don’t haul a boat when it’s already been paid for We dropped a pen and hurt your feelings
@Chief Slowroller- Million dollar condo’s…Isn’t that Tahoespeak for ‘affordable housing’?
There was a time when Keys Marina/Fresh Ketch were flagship enterprises in town. It’s a crying shame to see the state of things now under absentee ownership and current management. I was recently disappointed with my dealings with the Marina (misquoted prices, surly attitudes and non-performance of a service I had already paid for). Won’t be in a hurry to make dinner reservations anytime soon, either.
ts
The marina owners who took over The Ketch even closed The Ketch two days a week cause business has been so bad!
Where’s the blogger now who proclaimed, when they took the restaurant over, it would be the hottest spot in town?
Parker, there is no boat trailer parking on Venice so nobody can launch their boats unless they can afford a slip. That killed the businesses down there. Then last year the City installed meters, further limiting peoples desire to go down there.
And business is bad….shocking!
Good points Moral Hazard!! But even during heavy snow Winters, The Ketch was always open 7 days week! That changed under the new owners this Winter.
Can you believe parking meters could hurt business? What an epiphany! Harrison Ave will be next. Vote yes to get rid of all meters!!!!
Moral and Buck. There are a hundred reasons for the Tahoe Keys Marina demise over the past couple of years, but paid parking is not one of them.
Parker, it did change this year, because of demand. This next story is an anecdote of course, but my buddy and I have the same experience. We both had passes to launch at the Keys. It was great, good parking, close to where I fish and it also had the restaurant and I could get parts. Well our buddy Bill Crawford cant be expected to stay sober and walk around a boat trailer. So he held a vote hostage at the city, I forget what it was, but big deal vote, and got trailer parking banned in exchange for his vote.
I went back to the keys a couple times after that, but then the paid parking came, and I have not been back down there. My fishing mate said the same thing. We just don’t have a reason to be there, so we don’t go at all any more.
I am just a shlub with a boat. I get that. But the fact is when I quit having a reason to go there, I quit going at all. That is true for a whole lot of boaters.
rock4tahoe, maybe name a few reasons that don’t start with your dislike of the owners.
Moral. They started charging parking in the Tahoe Keys Parking lot, they were offensive to exiting customers, the managers were offensive to the employees; customers and employees left in droves.
I do not know the new owners personally, but I do know some of the former customers and employees.
Ray was not the easiest guy to get along with, but he didn’t throw gasoline on fires.
I never go anywhere that has paid parking. I buy the $70.00 beach pass and call it done. People who think paid parking doesn’t make a difference are wrong.
If paid parking didn’t affect business the money hungry casinos would charge for parking!!!!
Instead they have the brains to allow ski and snowboard parking for free. They only need the bulk of their parking after Heavenly closes.
When the marina owners had the great idea to have a young man sit at the entrance in the summer and try to collect $5.00 to park I knew it was over for the marinas retail businesses.
Sunriser. It was over before the $5 Tahoe Keys Kid Parking for retail. They used hostile tactics to break leases and even tried to turn the Dance Studio into Retail Boat sales. “What goes around comes around.”
Maybe they can get the bicyclists to pay to park there. Riding down the newly paved Venice Blvd to get to 15th street is much better than trying to make it down the goat trail past the stinking transfer station.
People claim the bicyclists have thick wallets maybe they could eat at the fresh Ketch after their ride. They could validate parking like in the big city where people accept paid parking.
Riser. Maybe they can get $5 out of everyone that lets their dog dump a load on the trail… and leaves it as a parting gift for the rest of us.
Safety is the number one priority!
Hmmmm wonder if it’s safe to eat a burger at the Fresh Ketch?
Non-compliance is a disease it moves quick to other areas of a poor General manager’s business !
Won’t answer calls ? Must have a lot to hide !!’