Gates, N.Y. - The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is proposing $365,000 in fines for what it calls repeat and serious safety and heath hazards at the Chili Avenue Walmart Supercenter.
"The sizable fines proposed here reflect not only the seriousness of these conditions but the fact that several of them are substantially similar to hazards identified at nine other Wal-Mart locations in New York and eight other states," said Arthur Dube, OSHA's area director in Buffalo. "This situation is unacceptable."
Inspections led to the citations. OSHA citations included fall hazards, an unguarded grinder, no training for employees using personal protective equipment, a lack of eye and face protection, and a lack of information and training on hazardous chemicals in the workplace.
Ten of the findings are repeat violations.
Walmart has 15 business days to comply with the fines, meet with OSHA's area director, or contest the findings.
Walmart released a statement Tuesday which said, "The safety of our customers and our associates is a top priority for us and we’ve put in place policies and training in our stores with that in mind.
“We’re taking these claims seriously and looking into them to determine if any mistakes were made and, if so, what we can do to correct them.”
