Opinion ID: 1159049
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: HIRI Parties and Procedures

Text: The affidavits and depositions before the court on HIRI's motion for summary judgment reveal the following facts: The consumption of beer at HIRI was extensive, taking place nearly every day. Specifically, three main events involving alcoholic consumption regularly occurred at the refinery: 1) pau hana (end-of-work) parties on the last Friday of every month; 2) playing horseshoes almost daily; and 3) mini parties for promotions, birthdays, babies, vacations, and other similar events. All of these events took place in the picnic area on HIRI's property, next to the parking lot but outside the fence enclosing the refinery's operations. HIRI placed picnic tables and a grill in the area. There was also an eighteen cubic foot cooler constructed by HIRI's maintenance department for the drinks. The deposition testimony reveals that an apparent tradition of holding pau hana parties began sometime around late 1974. During the initial years, HIRI sponsored these parties, paying for the food and alcohol. The maintenance department coordinated the events and received a company check from HIRI's downtown office to buy the supplies. An employee would purchase the food, beer, and wine using these funds. Sometime between 1979 and 1981, HIRI stopped supplying the alcohol, but continued to provide money to purchase food. Thereafter, contractors who were not employees of HIRI, but who were working on the premises, would provide the alcohol for the pau hana parties. These parties continued as a regular event until after the Rellamas accident. Parties were also held regularly for promotions, birthdays, and other events. These parties were not as extensive as the pau hana parties and were not paid for by the company or contractors. At promotion parties, the promoted workers provide the beer, much like Rellamas had done for his promotion party. The horseshoe club gatherings consisted of various HIRI employees who got together after their shifts to throw horseshoes and drink beer. The club met practically every day. At most, if not all of these gatherings, the drinks were stored in the cooler provided by HIRI. Deposition testimony revealed that the company and its managers obviously knew about the different parties and drinking get-togethers. In fact, supervisors often attended these parties. Kennard Vandergrift, the Refinery Administrative Manager, testified that around 1985 HIRI instituted a policy prohibiting consumption of alcoholic beverages in the refinery at any time. Vandergrift also noted, however, that this policy only governed the area inside the fenced-in portion of HIRI's property; consumption of alcohol was not prohibited in HIRI's picnic and parking lot area. After further questioning, Vandergrift admitted that [t]he company tolerated [the drinking, but] certainly didn't encourage it in any way. Furthermore, Shift Supervisor Don Drogowski testified that a petition was circulated about a year before the accident requesting that the current practice, which allows employees to consume alcohol during lunch or break hours ... be reviewed by the policy task force and discontinued due to its safety sensitive nature. Approximately eighty-five employees signed this petition. Another company policy provided that no one could remain in the picnic area after 5:30 p.m. This policy was apparently not strictly enforced; on the night of the Rellamas accident, the group was in the picnic area drinking until after 7:30 p.m. In fact, the promotion party did not begin until after 5:30 p.m. Finally, after the Rellamas accident, management discussed terminating the pau hana parties. Aldrich Kane, HIRI's Maintenance Manager, testified that alcohol was no longer served at the pau hana parties after the Rellamas accident, and that the parties themselves were discontinued about three to five months after the subject accident.