Many workers in California know that their employers are responsible for ensuring a safe place to work. Even companies as large as Walmart are required to do what they can to avoid workplace accidents. Recently, Walmart agreed to a settlement with the Department of Labor regarding safety violations discovered during an inspection at a Walmart on the east coast.
The inspection was done by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The agreement with the Department of Labor requires Walmart to pay a fine in the amount of $190,000. The company will also fix the violations found not only at the Walmart store on the east coast, but also at some 2,857 Sam’s and Walmart stores across the country.
Those stores are spread across 28 states that adhere to federal OSHA standards. Similar agreements could be negotiated with the 22 states that conduct their own OSHA inspections. Walmart will improve safety conditions and improve training programs for employees who use hazardous cleaning chemicals and equipment in accordance with the settlement.
Workplace accidents are bound to happen regardless of how cautious, well trained and well prepared employees and employers try to be. However, when California employers do not take the safety of their workers seriously, those accidents can become far too common. It is often up to employees and agencies such as OSHA to report employers who put their employees in harm’s way by not providing the proper safety equipment and training to conduct their jobs safely. Employees injured on the job have the right to workers’ compensation benefits to assist with their medical costs and time away from work during their recovery.
Source: rn-t.com, “Walmart agrees to safety fixes at 2,857 stores,” Aug. 7, 2013