Walmart fined over health and safety
Feb
13
Written by:
13/02/2012 18:48
Massive fine due to continued and widespread breaches
In the US Walmart has been fined $365,000 by the Occupational and Safety Health Administration(OSHA) for 24 alleged violations of workplace health and safety laws at just one store in New York.
The charges against Walmart ranged from obstructed exits, to lack of eye and face protection for workers. Along with the more serious accusations such as a lack of information and training on the use of hazardous chemicals and the use of unguarded grinding machines.
OSHA's area director, Arthur Dube, said in a statement that the size of the fines was due to the fact that the conditions are similar to those at nine other Walmart locations in New York and eight other states. The company was cited for similar violations between 2008 and 2010 at stores around the country. "This situation is unacceptable," said Dube in a statement "A corporate employer must take effective and proactive steps to assess, correct and prevent the recurrence of hazards at all of its locations."
Walmart released a statement stating: "The safety of our customers and our associates is a top priority for us and we've put in place policies and training in our stores with that in mind. We're taking these claims seriously and looking into them to determine if any mistakes were made and, if so, what we can do to correct them."
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