The Sky Needs Limits
	The next time you go to one of the warehouse superstores to get a killer deal - beware! A report in the L.A. Times indicates that thousands have been hurt and some killed by falling stacks of products in the past 15 years, as stores like Home Depot and Wal-Mart continue to popularize the retail-warehouse model. The superstores have brought one-stop convenience and lower prices to consumers, but their 'working warehouse' atmospheres often leave customers scrambling to avoid loaded forklifts or stretching for merchandise stacked above their heads. Wal-Mark has acknowledged in court records that falling merchandise was responsible for nearly 26,000 customer claims and 7,000 employee injuries during a six year period ending in 1995. A Home Depot official testified in 1998 that the do-it-yourself giant was receiving 185 injury claims a week. Some retailers have written policies that require shrink-wrapping all blocks of shelved goods. Others now employ 'spotters' who direct customers away from active areas in which forklifts are operating. But with 'sky stacking' methods that often load heavy and dangerous inventory up to 20 feet above the floor without restraints like railings or safety straps, accidents seem inevitable. Unfortunately, there is no regulating agency that inspects stores for this safety issue. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which monitors workplace safety, has rules regarding 'security and stability' of stacked inventory. But a search of records indicates that in the past five-and-a-half years, only 100 workplace checks were performed on the thousands of stores operated by Home Depot, Wal-Mart, and Sam's Clubs. Consult with a lawyer for more information on personal injury law.

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