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Article Share #4
Bryan E. Cratty
Eliza Gordner
Marian University
BUS-358
October 20, 2013

The article I chose is regarding a settlement between Walmart and OSHA. Walmart was
hit by fines regarding trash compactors, blocked fire exits, and citations of blood borne
pathogens. Walmart has agreed to a corporate wide settlement to improve its safety conditions in
regards to trash compactors and cleaning chemicals in more than 2,800 of its stores including
several of its Sams Club stores as well.
Walmart agreed to pay $190,000 in fines after OSHA accused them of putting workers
who operate trash compactors in danger. They found the first violations at the Rochester, NY
store in 2011. With the settlement in place Walmart must now have the trash compactors remain
locked when not in use and cannot be operated unless under the supervision of a trained manager
or monitor. Walmart also has agreed to improve training for workers using cleaning chemicals
and to upgrade the procedures so workers did not handle undiluted chemicals unsafely.

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According to Randy Hargrove, a spokesperson for Walmart the company has had policies
set in place for workers safety. However, when OSHA raised concerns and initiated claims at
their Rochester store Walmart decided to address the policies and immediately reinforce the rules
and guidelines at each store. As I stated before this settlement covers all 2.800 Walmart and
Sams Club stores only in the 28 states where OSHA enforces safety and health practices. The
other 22 states were given an option to request the same requirements.
With this settlement in place Walmart is now being forced to hire an outside monitor to
check for compliance and safety violations in its 28 states. This monitor will also be required to
visit and monitor 80% of the stores every four months for two years.
In addition to the fines regarding trash compactors, blocked fire exits, and citations of
blood borne pathogens, OSHA also noted that they found a repeat electrical hazard and two
serious machine violations.
My opinion of this article is that I agree with OSHA. Walmart deserves to be fined for the
safety violations found in its Rochester store as well as all of its stores. I believe OSHA is a very
important factor in the workplace. There needs to be policies and procedures set in place to
protect employees from getting hurt on the job. There also needs to be proper training and
supervision to follow the rules and regulations put in place. A company the size of Walmart
should have its policies set in place and should have supervisors who will follow the rules. I
believe that big corporations like Walmart focus too much on revenue and meeting goals rather
than the safety of their employees. But with the thanks of OSHA even the big guys like Walmart
eventually get caught and have to pay the fines and closer attention to their employees and safety
of the workplace. I believe no matter what job you have or where its at you should always leave

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work the way you came in. Thanks to the safety and policies put in place by OSHA, as long as
we follow them, we can return home the way we left that day.

Wal-Mart Settles OSHA Case Over Cleaning Procedures

By STEVEN GREENHOUSE
Published: August 7, 2013

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Wal-Mart Stores has agreed to a corporatewide settlement to improve safety conditions

related to trash compactors and cleaning chemicals in more than 2,800 of its stores, the
United States Department of Labor announced on Wednesday.
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Wal-Mart agreed to the settlement, which includes paying a $190,000 fine, after
the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, part of the Labor Department, accused
the retailer of putting workers who operate trash compactors in danger. The settlement
stemmed from violations found at a Walmart store in Rochester in 2011.
Under the settlement, Walmarts trash compactors must remain locked when not in use,
and may not be operated except under the supervision of a trained manager or monitor.
Wal-Mart also pledged to improve training for workers using cleaning chemicals and to
upgrade procedures so that workers did not handle undiluted chemicals.
Randy Hargrove, a Wal-Mart spokesman, said the company had long had policies to ensure
employees safety. When we learned of the concerns raised by OSHA at our Rochester store
in 2011, we immediately addressed them and reinforced the companys guidelines, he said.
The settlement covers all 2,857 Walmart and Sams Club stores in the 28 states where OSHA
enforces safety and health practices, with an option for the 22 other states to request the
same provisions.
OSHA also cited the Rochester store for blocked exits, but that was not part of the
comprehensive agreement.
The settlement calls for Wal-Mart to hire an outside monitor to check compliance with the
settlement in its stores in the 28 states, with the monitor visiting 80 percent of the stores
every four months for two years. OSHA noted that it had found one repeat electrical hazard
citation, one serious citation for obstructed exit routes, two serious machine guarding
citations and 11 serious citations involving blood-borne pathogens.
This settlement will help to keep thousands of exposed Walmart workers safe and healthy
on the job, said David Michaels, the assistant secretary of labor in charge of OSHA. We

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hope this sends a strong message that the law requires employers to provide safe working
conditions.

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