Adidas, DOL Reach $235K Settlement

Ladder and guardrail usage was the center of a $235,000 settlement between Adidas America and the U.S. Department of Labor in May.  

The agreement comes after OSHA conducted a follow-up inspection at a warehouse in upstate New York in 2024. 

OSHA initially cited the warehouse for missing guardrails and unsafe ladder usage during an inspection in 2021.  

When inspectors returned three years later, agency officials said the company had not corrected the hazards and found an additional unsafe ladder violation.  

Fall Prevention

In addition to paying $235,000 in penalties, the settlement requires Adidas to implement enhanced abatement measures across multiple facilities in the U.S.  

This includes adopting a comprehensive safety and health management program, retraining employees on fall hazards, assessing and auditing potential fall hazards at each facility, and discontinuing use of overhead storage in the facilities. 

OSHA officials prioritize fall prevention as falls continue to be the leading cause of death in the construction industry.  

OSHA’s Fall Prevention Campaign offers resources for business leaders to use to teach employees about fall prevention.