Ralphs Grocery Stores Cited for not Reporting the COVID-19 Deaths of 2 Workers
Cal-OSHA Says the Stores Failed to Adequately Protect Workers from COVID-19
Culver City, California – A pair of Ralphs grocery stores in Culver City and Sherman Oaks has been accused by California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health of failing to report the deaths of two of its employees who succumbed to coronavirus complications.
According to a statement released by the state agency, Cal-OSHA learnt of the fatality in Culver City seven days after it happened and six days after the death in Sherman Oaks.
California employers are required to report to the state agency any work-related illness, injury or death of an employee that occurred at work within eight hours of when the employer knew or should have known of the illness.
The two stores, two other Ralphs stores in West Hollywood and Studio City along and a Food 4 Less in Los Angeles, were cited for inadequately protecting workers from COVID-19. All the stores are owned by Cincinnati-based Kroger Co.
The company faces penalties ranging from $13,500 to $25,560 for the violations. “Grocery retail workers are on the front lines and face a higher risk of exposure to COVID-19,” Cal/OSHA Chief Doug Parker said. Employers in this industry must investigate possible causes of employee illness and put in place the necessary measures to protect their staff.”
Cal-OSHA inspectors determined that the Food 4 Less in Los Angeles and Ralphs stores in Studio City, Sherman Oaks and West Hollywood placed employees at risk for the virus by allowing too many customers in the establishments, which prevented workers from maintaining at least 6 feet of physical distancing. The stores also failed to set up barriers to distance workers from the customers.
John Grant, president of United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Local 770, which represents more than 20,000 grocery workers at Kroger and other stores in Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura said more measures must be put in place to protect workers from COVID-19.
“COVID-19 is our new reality and workers and customers need permanent protections. The pandemic has shone a bright light on hourly wage earners. They are Black and Brown, immigrants, and people of color. Their work has always been essential and undervalued. The pandemic put their hard work front and center” he said.
