Retail giant Dollar General has a long history of failing to protects its workers, the U.S. Labor Department said in a news release.
“As the nation’s largest discount retailer, Dollar General stores are widely known by shoppers in 46 states for their low-price merchandise," the news release said. "At the U.S. Department of Labor, the company is recognized for its long history of violations and repeated failures to protect its workers from on-the-job hazards.”
The department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has proposed more than $3.3 million in penalties in 54 inspections at Dollar General locations nationwide since 2016, it said.
"Typical violations include blocked electrical panels, obstructed exits, forklift, housekeeping and sanitation violations," the agency said. "Each of these violations represent hazardous and unsafe conditions, placing workers at risk of injury."
In June, inspectors found that a store manager in Mobile failed to keep a storeroom free from clutter to allow employees to safely exit, and exposed workers to "slip and trip" hazards and being hit by falling boxes, the agency said.
“Dollar General has a long history of disregarding safety measures to prevent serious injury or death in the event of a fire or other emergency,” Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker said in a statement. “This company’s troubled history of workplace safety violations must come to an end, and OSHA will make every effort to hold them accountable for their failures.”
Dollar General has 17,000 stores and 17 distribution centers in the U.S. and more than 150,000 workers, the Labor Department said.
