OSHA Inspection: THE KROGER CO. (STORE # 909)

Issued

Sep 14, 1993

Abate by

Nov 1, 1993

Penalty

Initial $25,000 · Current $25,000

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The
employer did not furnish employment and
a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were
causing or likely to cause death or
serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to:
a)  High risk factors for the development of cumulative trauma
injuries involving the hands, wrists,
elbows, shoulders, neck and back while the employees worked as
cashiers at Kroger Store # 909 in
Hamilton, Ohio.  Useful and feasible abatement methods would
include, but not necessarily be limited to:
(1) ensuring that items weighing 10 pounds or more are manually
entered instead of scanned; (2) ensuring
that all cashiers receive an ergonomics training program at least
annually which will review such matters
as; (a) the proper grip and motion to use while scanning, (b) high
risk motions and postures to avoid, (c)
explain basic ergonomic principles relating to the checkout stands
at store # 909, and (d) ergonomically
proper methods of bagging; and (3) ensuring that cashiers do not
have to reach more than 17 inches in
order to manually enter information into the key pad.  The ideal
method
of addressing this problem would
involve the introduction of significant amounts of adjustability
and flexibility into each check stand station.
The position of the keypad could be made adjustable - both toward
and away from the cashier, plus up
and down.  This would enable the work station to be adjusted to
accommodate employees of widely
varying height and girth, instead of forcing all employees to
contort themselves to accommodate one rigid,
fixed and inflexible work station.  Also, the working surface upon
which cashiers stand could be made
adjustable in height.
The Kroger Co. (Store # 909) was previously cited for a violation of this
Occupational Safety and Health standard
or its equivalent standard Section 5(a)(1) which was contained in OSHA
inspection number _________, citation
number 01, item number 001, issued on 01/24/92.