99 Cent Store: OSHA inspections and violations

Incident on Jul 13, 2007 (fatal): Employee sustains bruises on body and dies

On July 13, 2007, Employee #1, a warehouse worker, worked her entire shift and, according to an employer's statement, no report of an industrial accident was su bmitted that day to management. On July 16, 2007 and July 17, 2007, Employee #1 did not report to work. On July 18, 2007, Employee #1 reported to work and appro ximately thirty minutes later, several employees informed Employee #1's supervis or, that she looked pale and disoriented. The supervisor went and spoke with Emp loyee #1. She indicated that she visited a dentist on July 14, 2007 for the dent al work and was taking medication. The supervisor instructed another employee to drive Employee #1 home. Employee #1 had multiple bruises on her body and died. Employee #1's cousin, brother, and father stated to the Sheriff's Department on July 19, 2007 that Employee #1 informed them that she was involved in an acciden t at her place of work. According to the Employee #1 father's statement, Employe e #1 informed him on July 13, 2007, that she was involved in an accident at work and multiple boxes fell on her. With reference to the Employee #1 cousin's stat ement, Employee #1 informed him that she was involved in a forklift accident at work on July 14, 2007, and that a black male struck her with the forklift and sh e fell. She notified her supervisor and the forklift operator was suspended for two days. Moreover, Employee #1's brother stated that Employee #1 informed him t hat she was operating a stand up pallet jack. When she was turning the corner, s he was struck by another employee operating a forklift. As a result of the impac t with the forklift, Employee #1 hit her jaw against the operating controls of h er own pallet jack. She reported the accident to her supervisor, who then suspen ded the forklift operator for two days. The employer stated that the incident re ported by Employee #1's family members did not occur. Employees of the 99 Cents Only Store, who worked on the same shift, were interviewed and did not recall a collision involving Employee #1 and the forklift operator.