SAFEWAY CHECKSTANDS FIXED DUE TO HEALTH & SAFETY HAZARDS

A Safeway store in Vancouver had several badly positioned checkstand scanners and other checkstand hazards, causing serious health and safety issues for UFCW 1518 members.

The problem has finally been fixed after it was drawn to Safeway’s attention by your Union's Health & Safety Department.

Scanners on a number of checkstands needed repairs. On some checkstands, items had to be lifted to get them to the scanning glass. In another, a scanner sloped forward so much that if Cashiers put anything round on it, it rolled off. These were just two of many potentially hazardous situations.

"While we are glad to see Safeway has finally fixed the problem, we remain concerned about the length of time it took Safeway to respond after the problems were first identified," says Ivan Limpright, President of UFCW 1518.

"The delays in addressing those problems caused serious health and safety issues for UFCW 1518 members,” he says, “and if there are members elsewhere who believe the equipment they are working with is a potential hazard, please contact the worker Rep on your workplace Health & Safety Committee, and contact your Union Rep too if the problem isn't promptly addressed. We take health and safety concerns seriously, and our members have the right to work in a safe environment. On that note, I want to thank the members at Safeway #84 for sticking to their guns and insisting Safeway eliminate these hazards!"

[img_assist|nid=3074|title=An exposed screw that was on a checkstand at Safeway #84 in Vancouver.|desc=|link=popup|align=left|width=400|height=300]   [img_assist|nid=3075|title=Exposed wires create another obvious safety hazard.|desc=|link=popup|align=left|width=400|height=288]   [img_assist|nid=3076|title=Another example of Safeway's unsafe checkstands before they were fixed - conditions that create safety hazards for union members.|desc=|link=popup|align=left|width=400|height=221]