A worker, 65, died at a Florida supermarket with $95,000 in safety violations, OSHA says
A defective ladder and other workplace safety violations led to the death of a 65-year-old working in a Kissimmee supermarket, an Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigation said.
OSHA wants to fine Kissimmee Meat & Produce $95,000 for the 12 violations found. Of the dozen violations, 11 were classified as serious.
On behalf of store president Ana Gonzalez and CEO Pedro Gonzalez, attorney Luis Santos emailed the Miami Herald: “We dispute OSHA’s findings. Beyond that, we will not provide any further comments as this is an ongoing matter.”
No answer was given as to the employee’s name or how long the clerk worked at Kissimmee Meat & Produce, 1528 W. Vine St. This is the store’s only OSHA investigation in the past 10 years.
After investigating the May 2 tragedy, OSHA said the 65-year-old clerk fell about nine feet from the second tier of a warehouse storage rack when a rolling ladder rolled. Ladder problems were among the safety violations listed on the Citation and Notification of Penalty.
Kissimmee Meat & Produce “did not ensure that mobile ladder stands and platforms that have wheels or casters are equipped with a system to impede horizontal movement when an employee is on the stand or platform,” the citation said. On that particular ladder, “the ladder locking base mechanism was not operational.”
“Ladders such as step, multi-position, and rolling ladders, used by employees to retrieve merchandise from rack systems, were not inspected to identify damage and or modifications that could cause employee injuries.”
The store didn’t “ensure that ladders are used only for the purposes for which they were designed ... employees were utilizing multi-position ladders that were modified to hook on the rack system.”
In the grocery warehouse, where the fatal fall occurred, “employees were exposed to fall hazards of 6-foot and 12-foot while retrieving and storing merchandise from the second and third level of the rack system without the use of a fall protection system.”
Also in the warehouse, “employees were exposed to seven-foot fall hazards while retrieving and storing merchandise from the vegetable cutting department roof without the use of a fall protection system.”
OSHA investigators also found warehouse emergency exits “obstructed by carts with product, ladders, equipment, rack system and palletized product,” and the grocery store emergency exit blocked by a beer display.
“Employers are required to make sure that the equipment workers use is serviceable and safe,” OSHA Area Director Danelle Jindra said. “Kissimmee Meat & Produce failed to meet its responsibility and it cost someone their life.”
Employers wanting to make sure they’re in workplace safety compliance can reach out to Compliance Assistance Specialists. Employees wanting to file an OSHA complaint can go online, call 800-321-6742 or call or visit the local OSHA office.
