7. Health and Safety
Suppliers must provide workers with a safe and healthy work environment. Suppliers must take proactive measures to prevent or manage workplace hazards.
A. General Health and Safety
1. Health and safety standards apply to all facilities, including factories, dormitories, and canteens.
2. These Standards are general in application, and should be used by Suppliers in conjunction with other applicable health and safety standards.
a. Suppliers may have industry-specific dangers or hazards which are not specifically addressed in these Standards. Suppliers should adopt procedures to limit dangers to workers from these hazards.
b. If industry-specific safety standards are more stringent than these Standards, Suppliers should meet the industry standard.
3. Suppliers should designate a safety management representative at each facility. This representative shall be responsible for worker health and safety in the facility.
4. Suppliers must implement procedures and safeguards to prevent accidents and injuries to workers.
a. Procedures and safeguards should include but not be limited to proper equipment maintenance, established inspection routines, adequate worker training and protection, facility structure maintenance, and proper fire prevention.
b. Suppliers must ensure there are no unreasonable or uncontrolled risks to worker health and safety.
c. The work environment must be safe, clean, and orderly
5. Standardized health and safety training shall be provided for all new or reassigned workers and management.
a. Suppliers shall create and maintain training records for all workers.
b. Required health and safety training must reasonably cover the hazards workers encounter in the scope of their work.
6. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) must be provided to workers.
a. PPE must be adequate and appropriate to protect workers from the specific hazards they encounter in the scope of their work.
B. Permits and Building Design
1. Suppliers’ facilities must maintain a valid fire license or permit as required by applicable law. If required by law, such license or permit must be displayed in a visible location.
2. Suppliers must obtain valid construction approvals as required by applicable law. If the local law does not provide for such approvals, a certification by a Walmart-approved third-party civil or structural engineer that the facility is structurally sound must be obtained.
a. All facilities are required to comply with local law and any applicable building design and construction standards.
b. When there is a difference between applicable standards, laws, and regulations, Walmart’s expectation is that the Supplier adheres to the most stringent requirement.
3. Suppliers must obtain and maintain valid zoning permits as required by applicable law.
4. The following four items only apply to factory facilities in Bangladesh:
a. A building originally constructed as a residential facility may not be converted into an industrial facility.
b. A facility in a multi-story building may not have a ground floor marketplace or commercial shops on any floor.
c. A facility in a multi-story building may not share the building with other factories or enterprises under separate ownership.
d. A residence may not be located within the facility building.
C. Emergency Exits and Evacuation
1. Aisles, exits, and stairwells must be kept clear and unblocked at all times.
2. Facilities must establish an adequate evacuation plan.
a. The evacuation plan must include an evacuation route map that is accurate as to the facility, posted in the local language, and includes a “you are here” mark.
b. Enough evacuation maps should be posted in work stations and main aisles inside the facility to allow workers to easily and quickly find emergency exits.
3. Facilities must have marked and lighted emergency exit routes with visible and operable emergency lights for all occupied floors and areas of the building, including stairwells.
a. Emergency lights must be fire grade “industrial emergency lights” for use in smoke and fire environments, and facilities must have a secondary power source connected to these lights for use in the event of electricity power failure.
4. Facilities shall have at least the minimum