I’m a fan of Trader Joe’s, often do shopping there. So it pains me to have to report that at some of their stores safety practices have been lax. Let’s hope that what occurred here sends a message to other Trader Joe’s nationwide that they not permit this to happen at their stores.
The alleged violations in this case occurred at the Trader Joe’s at 5910 South University Blvd., Greenwood Village, CO 80121.
During a December 2023 inspection, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration found safety hazards associated with unsafe forklift operations and lack of training for forklift operators.
OSHA cited Trader Joe’s for lack of adequate safety training for forklift operators and failing to inspect forklifts at the Greenwood Village facility. Trader Joe’s had been cited for violating these same standards in three prior OSHA inspections in Pennsylvania, Maine and Massachusetts. The company was also cited for repeatedly blocking and rendering inaccessible electrical equipment with boxes, a violation that Trader Joe’s was previously cited in Maine, New York and New Jersey. Proposed penalties total $216,902 as a result of the Colorado inspection.
Trader Joe’s is a popular grocery store chain with eight locations in Colorado and 568 stores across the country. The company is headquartered in Monrovia, California. Trader Joe’s Co. has 15 business days from receipt of citation and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
“Employers must comply with all federal safety standards, including forklift safety training and keeping areas around electrical equipment clear to help prevent serious injuries and fatal incidents,” explained OSHA Area Director Chad Vivian in Englewood, Colorado. “We will continue to cite companies that fail to implement the measures necessary to protect their employees from these hazards.”
My thanks to Jon Hyman for highlighting this post in his April 19 weekly compilation of must-read blog posts.
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