The Occupational Health and Safety Administration sent a letter this week to the CEOs of fourteen major retailers urging them to take steps now to prevent customer and worker injuries during Black Friday and other holiday sales events. In 2008, a retail worker was trampled to death by a crowd during a Black Friday sales event, and OSHA says crowd-related injuries and related workers' compensation claims are on the rise.

"Crowd-related injuries during special retail sales and promotional events have increased during recent years," said OSHA assistant secretary Dr. David Michaels in a news release about the letters. The letter included an OSHA Fact Sheet called "Crowd Management Safety Tips for Retailers."

"Many of these incidents can be prevented by adopting a crowd management plan, and this fact sheet provides retail employers with guidelines for avoiding injuries during the holiday shopping season," said Dr. Michaels.

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