OSHA Cites Pier 1 for Hazards at Two Texas Sites
The cited violations involve forklift inspections and forklift operators' training.
OSHA announced Sept. 21 that it has lodged three serious and two repeat violations against Pier 1 Imports Inc. for hazards at sites in Mansfield, Texas, and Fort Worth. Proposed penalties total $86,100.
Two serious violations were cited at the retailer's Fort Worth distribution center and involved failure to ensure proper training for forklift operators and proper inspections for forklifts, while a serious violation at the Mansfield location involved damaged storage racks. The repeat violations at both locations were for failing to provide forklift operator training. OSHA's announcement said it opened an inspection after being notified that an electric pallet jack had struck an employee who was subsequently hospitalized.
"Pier 1 Imports exposed workers to hazardous but preventable conditions and ultimately jeopardized the safety of their workers in doing so," said Jack Rector, OSHA's area director in Fort Worth. "This complaint and report of a hospitalization have identified continual hazards which require immediate corrective action to prevent further injuries."