Posted on Thu, Nov 24, 2011 : 12:34 p.m.
Feds tell Black Friday retailers: Keep your crowds under control
By Julie Baker
With Black Friday's superstar sales quickly approaching, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration is telling retailers to make crowd control a priority, according to a Saginaw News report.
Crowds at ABC Warehouse during a previous Black Friday.
A Wal-Mart employee in 2008 was trampled to death by an out-of-control crowd. The retailer has since instituted preventative measures in hopes of not seeing a similar tragedy in the future, the report said.
More Black Friday coverage:
Comments
jns131
Fri, Nov 25, 2011 : 7:33 p.m.
I love the title. I agree with many here. Like the feds don't have enough to do? So, if we do not keep em under control are they going to send in the National Guard? That would be interesting.
GirlNextDoor
Fri, Nov 25, 2011 : 2:39 a.m.
Black Friday is like the zombie Apocalypse, either you're on of them, or you're inside hiding, hoping your loved ones haven't been trampled by crazy people.
Tru2Blu76
Thu, Nov 24, 2011 : 7:23 p.m.
RE: "A Wal-Mart employee in 2008 was trampled to death by an out-of-control crowd. The retailer has since instituted preventative measures in hopes of not seeing a similar tragedy in the future, the report said." [ This is not the only such incident involving lack of crowd control - just one that turned fatal.] 1. This is reality: it bespeaks a lack of responsibility on the part of these big retailer companies and on the part of "customers." 2. For anyone who thinks "the Feds" are in any way out of line for putting out a cautionary statement regarding employee or public safety: what country do you think you're living in? For companies to wait until employees are killed to put simple safety measure in place tells the story: those companies NEED government oversight. For any group of shoppers to act with such violence and irrational disregard also means THEY need government oversight. 3. Overall: the retailers created this "Black Friday" nonsense to make money they'd MAKE ANYWAY. So they created a dangerous (and legally actionable ) hazard all by themselves, for no legitimate reason. That people who shop under these conditions even think of doing so: is a really scary indication of where we're at as a society. Few legislators have the guts to just prohibit such "sales." It's a perfect area for such prohibitions but it's also "perfect poison" in terms of re-election prospects. Time for the majority to call on legislators to do the right thig and shut this idea down.
obviouscomment
Fri, Nov 25, 2011 : 4:29 a.m.
Well, looking at the ridiculousness of some of the people that frequent these sales, it seems without the government "intervention" we would be in big trouble. If people had more common sense and respect for others then maybe extra "intervention" wouldn't be needed.
jj
Thu, Nov 24, 2011 : 7:33 p.m.
Yea, just what we need. More government intervention into our lives.
FreedomOfSpeech
Thu, Nov 24, 2011 : 7:08 p.m.
THANK YOU, BIG SIS !
cinnabar7071
Thu, Nov 24, 2011 : 6:16 p.m.
Lol @ the Feds, like they dont have their own problems to worry about.