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NEWS > BUSINESS > WAL-MART NARROWLY AVOIDS MORE BLACK FRIDAY DEATHS
WAL-MART NARROWLY AVOIDS MORE BLACK FRIDAY DEATHS
November 29 2009
Bentonville, AR – Last year’s Black Friday was one to remember for Wal-Mart officials, though not in terms on killer sales. It was that day that a worker at a Long Island location was trampled to death by shoppers seeking deep discounts. That
tragedy prompted many changes in the company’s Black Friday policies including starting sales earlier in the week and extending beyond the single Friday. Those actions apparently had a great effect on Friday with no deaths reported from around the chain, though there were a few close calls.
The closest call was an incident in Seattle where a worker was repeatedly bumped by patrons who nearly crashed through the doors looking for inexpensive perfume and children’s clothing. The incident left the worker, 22 year-old Heather Carter, with several bruises on her left arm but alive. Still, Wal-Mart officials are not happy with the performance and will seek to improve security procedures so that next year no employees will be bumped or touched in any way.
“We are overjoyed that no one was killed this year. That incident last year cast a serious pall over the shopping festivities and made for a very messy cleanup which our
people are simply not equipped to handle. Luckily no one suffered that fate this year but we are disturbed to learn that some people were still involved in contact with one another, no matter how incidental it might have been. We will look into these incidents to ensure that such things will not occur again in the future as we cannot tolerate even the slightest possibility of more deaths in Wal-Mart stores,” said a spokesperson for the company. “We are pleased with the new security procedures in place and as always we will continue to review them for the benefit and safety of all employees and shoppers. The type of incident that occurred last year is not something we wish to repeat and we will make every effort to ensure that such things do not happen in Wal-Mart stores.”
Wal-Mart rival Target was not so lucky with at least ten people taken to hospital throughout the country, one seriously injured after a stack of discount potato chips collapsed, pinning him underneath.
“Incidents like what happened last year are not often spoken about but happen far more frequently than many people would believe. Everyday people are hit, bumped 
into, or otherwise assaulted at Wal-Mart’s all across the world. Most aren’t killed of course but injury can sometimes be worse. Ultimately the company realizes that they have to put an end to those kinds of incidents if for no other reason than to avoid bad press,” said Scrape TV Business analyst Ken Green. “The real concern is that as big as Wal-Mart is that an escalating death toll will eventually affect stock prices. Even the biggest companies in the world can’t keep killing employees and not have it impact the bottom line so I imagine they will be extra sensitive to any incidents.”
Office Depot stores across the country saw four deaths on Black Friday but no one seemed particularly concerned.
“By positioning themselves as being totally intolerant of death, Wal-Mart could set a new standard for all big box stores. People being trampled is an all too common occurrence in today’s America and as the unemployment rate continues to soar that’s only likely to get worse. Of course that would help solved the employment issue,” continued Green. “By taking such a firm stance though, Wal-Mart has buffeted themselves against any future actions by individuals or stock holders in case someone else does get mauled to death again.”
The Seattle worker who suffered the arm injury is reportedly resting comfortably.
William Ashford, Business Correspondent
NEWS > BUSINESS > WAL-MART NARROWLY AVOIDS MORE BLACK FRIDAY DEATHS
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