St. Louis Injury Lawyer Blog

The number of crowd-related injuries in St. Louis and elsewhere during big sale events has increased in past years. In fact, in 2008 an employee died during the opening of a store on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving when most major retailers and other businesses offer big discounts. This year, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) offers employers some safety tips to help reduce the risks of accidents. With Black Friday right around the corner, OSHA is asking employers to start planning now to help keep everyone safe on one of the biggest shopping days of the year.

Our St. Louis injury attorneys remind employers that they are required to take the proper safety measures to eliminate hazards for workers. One of the most dangerous hazards during popular sales events such as Black Friday is crowds, especially when shoppers are camping out in front of your business for days.

Safety planning should start now. Create a plan to share with workers before the big day arrives. There should be a plan on how to manage crowds, how to best minimize dangers and what to do in the event of an accident. OSHA offers the following tips to help you plan.

Planning the event:

-Make sure you have the proper crowd-management personnel on site, including security guards or police officers.

-Map it out. Make sure employees are placed in a designated area.

-Discuss responsibilities for the big day with employees.

-Make sure employees receive training on how to properly manage large crowds of shoppers.

-Make sure that local authorities, including the fire department and EMS personnel, know that you'll be hosting an event.

-Designate a worker to contact authorities in the event of an accident or an emergency.

-Map out your store. Place signs in appropriate areas notifying shoppers with the locations of restrooms, check-out counters, restrooms and "hot" sale items.

Before the event:

-Make sure you have barricades and rope lines in place to help organize large crowds and popular areas.

-Keep lines away store entrances.

-Make sure there are breaks in these lines so that customers can enter in intervals to help avoid overcrowding.

-Designate a worker to explain the procedures with customers, including locations of entrances, exits, check-out counters and popular sale items.

-Consider an online lottery, tickets or wristbands for big sale items to eliminate the rush.

-Make sure employees have an effective way to communicate with one another, such as walkie-talkies.

-Keep shopping carts and other bulky items out of walkways.

During your Black Friday sale:

-Notify all employees before opening store entrances.

-Make sure authorized personnel are located at each entrance.

-Use a PA system to communicate with shoppers.

-Keep workers and security personnel out of walkways.

-Know your store's maximum occupancy. Never exceed this limit. Let customers in appropriately.

-Make sure shoppers with disabilities are offered a safe entrance.

-Never block exits.

-Keep Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and first-aid kits on hand.

We wish everyone a safe shopping day and encourage you to keep safety as a top priority.

Continue reading "Black Friday Crowds Increase Risks of Work Accidents in St. Louis" »

Federal investigators are looking into a fatal St. Louis work accident that claimed the life of a forklift operator, St. Louis Today reported.

A St. Louis wrongful death attorney should always be consulted when an employee is killed on the job. The outcome of the investigation by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration will be one factor in determining who may be responsible for the accident.

Those injured or killed on the job may be covered by the state's workers' compensation laws. In other cases, particularly when a third-party is at fault, a wrongful death lawsuit may also be warranted.

In this case, the 53-year-old forklift operator was fatally injured at the Supervalu Distribution Center when he was thrown from the forklift and hit his head. A witness said he heard a commotion and was hit by falling boxes of Campbell's soup. He reported seeing the victim being thrown into a railing, before his head hit the floor. Investigators are also looking at the maintenance records on the forklift.

The victim was reportedly coherent after the accident but was taken to the hospital, where he later died as a result of his injuries. A representative said it may have been the first fatal accident at the warehouse in more than 25 years.

OSHA offers the following safety tips when working around lift trucks:

-Watch hands and feet and stay clear of pinch points.

-Keep head inside the overhead guard, which is meant to protect the operator from falling objects.

-Keep hands and feet inside the truck at all times.

-Make sure the lift trucks are properly maintained.

-Receive proper training and understand the function of your lift truck before operation.

Continue reading "Man killed in St. Louis forklift accident; Heavy machinery common cause of fatal injuries" »