After a contract worker was seriously injured when a trolley struck and crushed him inside the Walmart Distribution Center, OSHA cited Walmart and the worker’s employer, Swisslog Logistics Inc., for serious and willful violations for exposing workers to caught-between, struck-by and crushing hazards and for failing to implement lockout/tagout procedures. Procedures were not developed, documented, and utilized for the control of potentially hazardous energy when employees were required to enter a mechanized material handling system containing energized operating trolleys to perform servicing and maintenance activities.
Walmart was cited for one serious violation (under the General Duty Clause) and one willful violation (29CFR1910.147(c)(4)(i) and received the maximum penalty allowed for each violation, for a total of $139,434 in proposed penalties. Swiss Logistics was cited for one willful violation (29CFR1910.147(c)(4)(i) and received the maximum penalty of $126,749.