Cal/OSHA Says Safeway Exposed Workers to Serious Hazards at Largest Warehouse

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health cited Safeway $182,000 in proposed penalties for safety violations that reportedly put roughly 1,700 workers at risk of serious injuries at the company’s warehouse in Tracy, their largest facility in the nation.

Cal/OSHA issued citations for 27 violations, including eight that were serious, after completing an inspection at Safeway’s Northern California Tracy Distribution Center.

Issues identified during the inspection Include:

• Safeway failed to identify and fix issues related to lifting, carrying, and moving heavy items; and did not provide effective training to supervisors or workers on these hazards.
• The employer failed to ensure the accuracy of annual employee injury and illness summaries, and failed to timely provide injury and illness recordkeeping documents to Cal/OSHA.
• Safeway failed to establish and maintain procedures to address indoor heat hazards in the warehouse’s dry building, which is not temperature controlled, and failed to train employees on the hazards of indoor heat.
• The employer provided inadequate ventilation or exhaust systems for employees welding in two buildings, risking exposure to toxic substances.
• The worksite had multiple damaged electrical cords and unsafe electrical panelboards.
• Safeway failed to provide effective refresher training and evaluations for industrial truck operators.

Employers have the right to appeal any citation and notification of penalty by filing an appeal with the Occupational Safety and Health Appeals Board within 15 working days from the receipt of notification.

Topics Workers' Compensation