Dive Brief:
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Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has violated a 2013 safety agreement it had with the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) at a Wal-Mart Supercenter in Florida, OSHA says. OSHA officials cited the retailer for five health and safety violations at the store last week, and proposed penalties totaling $118,800.
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The citations involve inadequate cleanup of blood spills, failure to provide Hepatitis B vaccinations or adequate training to workers tasked with cleaning up blood spills, failure to provide unobstructed access to the disconnect box and panel for the baler and trash compactor, and failure to provide sufficient space to avoid contact with live electrical wires to protect workers from exposure to shock and burn hazards.
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A spokesperson from Wal-Mart Stores told Environmental Leader that the company was "confused" by the allegations because it took the necessary precautions mandated by OSHA following the agreement.
Dive Insight:
As Environmental Leader notes, a $118,800 fine is peanuts to Wal-Mart, a global retailer whose enterprise value, according to Yahoo Finance, is $257.88 billion.
But any news of poor working conditions at its stores perpetuates the widely held perception that employee wellbeing at Wal-Mart is sometimes overlooked.
Wages and benefits at Wal-Mart have been notoriously low ever since Sam Walton played hardball with store employees when he first established the company, and critics have consistently pointed out that its workers are eligible for welfare benefits like food stamps and Medicaid, to the tune of $6.2 billion in public assistance each year. Other research has found that wages are lower in counties where a Wal-Mart store operates, especially in the South.
The retailer has also faced public scorn and regulatory censure for the way it handles protests by workers advocating for higher wages. That reputation hurts the retailer in its quest to attract wealthier customers, who are often more likely to look askance at a business perceived to be unfair to workers.
Addressing this issue, Wal-Mart is in the process of raising its employee wages nationwide, bumping both current employees' per-hour rate and the starting rate, at the tune of $1 billion for the company.
The condition of its stores has also been a turn-off, although the retailer has already seen its efforts to improve customer service and clean up the appearance of its stores pay off with higher customer satisfaction scores.
But the letter from OSHA indicates there’s more to be done.
"The blood-borne pathogen and safe access violations were previously cited and also covered in the settlement agreement, yet employees are still being exposed to these hazards," said Brian Sturtecky, OSHA's area director in the Jacksonville Office. "It is very frustrating to see that these hazards continue to exist and is a clear indication management is not actively involved in the safety and health program.”