K-Mart: OSHA inspections and violations

Incident on Sep 8, 2002: Employee injures foot when run over by forklift

At approximately 11:45 a.m. on September 8, 2002, Employee #1, a receiving assoc iate for K-Mart stores, was assisting a supervisor whose Daewoo propane-powered forklift truck, Model Number G2OS-3, Serial Number 99-03001, had stalled while d riving over a depression in the paved parking lot. Employee #1 walked over to th e stalled vehicle and positioned himself in front of it, between the two forks. The supervisor started the engine and moved the lift truck forward, inadvertentl y running over Employee #1's right foot and ankle and tearing off the skin. He w as transported to the Emergency Room at Palomar Hospital, where he was hospitali zed and the skin was reattached with an 8-inch long row of staples.

Incident on Jul 22, 2002: Forklift driver amputates toe

At approximately 5:30 a.m. on July 22, 2002, an employee operated a forklift tru ck at K-Mart Corporation in Covina, CA. He drove the forklift (serial number 99- 02908) backward, with a couple of empty pallets on the forks through door #3, in the receiving-dock area. His left foot slipped outside the body of the forklift and became pinned against a wall. He suffered an amputation to his left toe and fractured the remaining four toes of his left foot. The employee was hospitaliz ed at Intercommunity Hospital in Covina and underwent surgery.

Incident on Dec 26, 2001: Employee's finger amputated by door of safe

On December 26, 2001, Employee #1 was closing a safe door and her thumb became c aught between the door and the safe. She was hospitalized with an amputated thum b.

Incident on Jan 9, 1996: Employee's toe bruised when run over by forklift

Employee #1 had stopped to talk with a forklift operator. The forklift moved and ran over her toe. Employee #1's toe was bruised, but the accident was not serio us.

Incident on Jun 6, 1994: Employee burned by chemical

Employee #1, of K-Mart, was moving boxes in the inventory storage area. The boxe s were stacked higher than his head. A partially full bottle of drain opener had been left open on a box. As he moved the boxes, the bottle fell and spilled its contents onto him. Employee #1 suffered second- and third-degree burns over his stomach, leg, and thigh and was hospitalized at VMC.

Incident on Jul 14, 1992: Employee struck on head by closing steel door of compactor

At approximately 2:18 p.m. on July 14, 1992, Employee #1 and a coworker, of K-Ma rt Corporation, were attempting to push a bale of cardboard boxes out of a Gener al Hydraulics vertical compactor. Employee #1 and the coworker were at the back of the compactor. Employee #1 was pushing the bale with his shoulder while the c oworker was leaning on the bale and holding open a steel door above their heads. The bale moved, causing the coworker to lose his balance. While starting to fal l through the compactor, the coworker lost his grip on the steel door. Employee #1 was struck on the back of his head by the closing steel door. The bale, Emplo yee #1, and the coworker went through the compactor. Employee #1 was taken to We stlake Medical Center where he was treated for a concussion and released.

Incident on Jul 31, 1991: Employee cuts wrist with razor blade utility knife

At 9:29 a.m. on July 31, 1991, Employee #1 was using a Stanley razor blade utili ty knife to cut out an emblem from an approximately 3 1/2 ft diameter plastic po ol. She lacerated her left wrist and was taken to St. Joan's Hospital, where she was treated and released. Employee #1 said she had not been trained on use of t he razor blade utility knife. The employer was cited for general violations of T 8CCR 3203(a)(2) and 3203 (a)(y).

Incident on Jul 3, 1991: Employee fractures hip in fall to concrete floor

At approximately 11:30 a.m. on July 3, 1991, Employee #1, of K-Mart Store #3162, was stocking a hosiery department. She went to the stock room to get a box of h osiery from a large delivery. As Employee #1 picked up a box and started to walk away, her foot hit another box and she stumbled and fell to the concrete floor, fracturing her hip. Employee #1 could not see the other box that was apparently in her path because of the box in her arms. The boxes were stacked in the aisle by the shelves. The aisles meet the requirements for width, even with the boxes stacked by shelves. No safety violations were found.

Incident on Nov 25, 1990: Employee injured when struck by tire and wheel after blowout

Employee #1 over-inflated a tire and it blew out.

Incident on Aug 11, 1990: Employee injured in fall down flight of stairs

Employee #1 was descending a flight of stairs while carrying a carton on his sho ulder. He stepped on some paper strips that had a wax backing and began to lose his balance. He then stepped down to the third step, which was loose and recesse d backward so that it was not aligned with the rest of the staircase. Employee # 1 missed the step and fell down the entire flight of stairs. He sustained injuri es that required hospitalization.