A California adult film production company owned by porn star James Deen has been slapped with nearly $78,000 in proposed fines for numerous health and safety violations — including not requiring performers to use condoms.
Cal/OSHA began investigating James Deen Productions, also known as Third Rock Enterprises, following a complaint last December. Upon visiting one of the company's Los Angeles film shoots in January, the state agency found that performers were not required to wear condoms as mandated by Los Angeles County law, the Department of Industrial Relations said in a statement Wednesday.
“Cal/OSHA requires condom use in adult films to protect workers from exposure to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections,” said Cal/OSHA Chief Juliann Sum in the agency's statement. “Third Rock Enterprises failed to protect employees from illness and injury while on set.”
The production company was also cited for not providing vaccines or follow-up medical examinations for performers who may have been exposed to Hepatitis B. Cal/OSHA issued the Third Rock Enterprises a total of nine citations, four of which are considered serious based on an assessment that they may cause death or serious harm, with proposed penalties of $77,875.
The agency said Deen, whose legal name is Bryan Sevilla, also initially refused to provide safety documentation to Cal/OSHA or allow the agency to investigate, prompting the issuance of a warrant from the Los Angeles Superior Court and additional citations.
Deen issued a statement Thursday asserting he offered performers the option to wear condoms, but said they decided not to use them. He said he believes his production company was unfairly targeted by Cal/OSHA, citing several other California companies that had received smaller fines from the agency for workplace incidents including an explosion and electrocution.
SEE ALSO: Actress accuses James Deen of sexually assaulting her with beer bottle
SEE ALSO: Actress accuses James Deen of sexually assaulting her with beer bottle
"The fines presented against my company are significantly higher, and not one person was exposed to or contracted any illness on my sets," Deen said. "I gave the performers the option to perform with condoms; however, they desired not to use condoms, and I honored their requests."
When asked for data regarding condom-related citations issued to other porn productions, Cal/OSHA did not promptly respond to Mashable's request.In response to the citations, Deen also accused the pro-condom AIDS Healthcare Foundation of issuing the initial complaint that prompted Cal/OSHA's investigation in an attempt to "use California tax-payer resources to further their political and moral agenda of 'condoms in porn.'"
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation confirmed in a statement Thursday that it had filed workplace safety complaints against Deen's production company.
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation confirmed in a statement Thursday that it had filed workplace safety complaints against Deen's production company.
“We want to thank Cal/OSHA for acting so swiftly on our workplace safety complaint against James Deen Productions and Third Rock by citing and fining Deen, one of the industry’s most well-known producers and adult performers—and the one who is the most vocal critic and prominent public face of the industry in its opposition to condom use,” said Michael Weinstein, president of AIDS Healthcare Foundation.
One of the most high-profile performers in the adult film industry, Deen is no stranger to controversy. Between November and December, the actor was accused of sexual assault by nine adult film actresses, several of whom were also ex-girlfriends. Deen said he was "completely baffled" by the allegations and has denied any wrongdoing, though he resigned from the Adult Performer Advocacy Committee's board of directors following the accusations in November.
SEE ALSO: Porn actors won't be forced to wear condoms in California
In February, a Cal/OSHA panel of officials decided against mandating condom usage for all adult film productions in California, a decision backed by performers including Deen.
In February, a Cal/OSHA panel of officials decided against mandating condom usage for all adult film productions in California, a decision backed by performers including Deen.
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