An Orlando, Florida, Family Dollar store faces a proposed $330,446 fine after U.S. Department of Labor investigators discovered deliberate and repeated safety violations during an investigation into a tragic shoplifting incident.
A 41-year-old store employee struggled with a shoplifter on Dec. 11, 2021, trying unsuccessfully to stop them from fleeing with products, but soon felt dizzy and nauseated, according to a July 22 release. A manager's assistant dialed 911, but the worker passed away at a nearby hospital.
“Family Dollar has shown time and again that their priority is profits, not their employees,” Sarah Carle, OSHA Area Office director in Orlando, Florida, said, according to the release. “Our inspection revealed multiple unsafe conditions that management should have addressed, including locked doors and blocked exits.”
OSHA issued a willful violation citation to the national discount store for locking an emergency exit door with a key that was only in management's possession, the release reported. Additionally, the agency cited two repeat offenders for failing to maintain an open path for workers to use and for permitting carts and item boxes to obstruct aisles.
“Tragically, someone lost their life as a result of an altercation,” Carle said, according to the release. “Incidents such as this can be averted when workers are trained on a violence prevention program that empowers them to recognize and avoid risks on the job.”
