When Cal/OSHA inspected Safeway's large warehouse in Tracy, CA, it found "significant safety violations" meriting $182,000 in penalties.

The eight serious violations and 19 others put 1,700 workers in danger from:

• Indoor heat hazards for the un-air-conditioned building, including lack of access to cool-down areas;
• Electrical hazards, including damaged cords and electrical panels;
• Manual material handling issues connected to carrying and lifting heavy objects;
• Chemical hazards, including improper ventilation for welding and lack of eye wash facilities;
• Recordkeeping violations for inadequate record of annual employee injury/illness and untimely reporting to Cal/OSHA; and
• Inadequate truck operator training.

Cal/OSHA Chief Debra Lee stated: "It is critical that employers recognize the physical demands and potential dangers faced by warehouse workers and take measures to protect their safety. Our inspection revealed that Safeway's demanding warehouse quotas put its workers at risk of serious injury."

Take Aways:
Employers must make safety protocols and practices a priority, to protect their workers and to avoid penalties. They should have an Injury and Illness Prevention Program, including for indoor and outdoor heat illness prevention and should follow it.

For further information, please contact Tim Bowles, Cindy Bamforth or Helena Kobrin.

See also:

• Chill Skill: California's New Indoor Heat Rules July 23, 2024 (August 2, 2024)
• Scorch Prevention: Protecting Workers from Heat Illness (May 30, 2024)
• Keep Employees Safe (June 30, 2023)

Helena Kobrin
February 14, 2025