The U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration found Dollar General and Dolgencorp LLC exposed workers to unsafe conditions in four locations in Florida and Georgia.
OSHA's inspections uncovered many of the same workplace violations the company refused to correct at its store locations across the United States, with the agency issuing the company more than $15 million in fines since 2017, according to a March 13 DOL news release.
“Exposing employees and others to these hazards can be dangerous, especially in an emergency,” OSHA Regional Administrator Kurt Petermeyer said in the release. “Dollar General is well aware of federal requirements, but they continue to ignore their legal responsibilities to protect their employees at stores throughout the nation.”
In Ocala, Fla., federal workplace inspectors investigated stores on 58th Avenue and Marion Oaks Manor in late August and September, finding merchandise blocking exit routes and exposing workers to fire and entrapment hazards, the release reported. OSHA cited the company for five repeat violations and proposed $710,974 in penalties.
In Columbus, Ga., OSHA's investigation into Dollar General's Victory Drive location found workers were exposed to fire and entrapment hazards due to a locked emergency exit door, according to the release. OSHA issued citations for two repeat violations and proposed $221,001 in penalties.
Also in Columbus, OSHA found the company's 13th Avenue location exposed workers to trip hazards due to merchandise, shopping carts and other items blocking pathways, the release reported. The agency cited the company with one repeat violation and proposed $98,219 in proposed penalties.
Dollar General and Dolgencorp LLC operates approximately 19,000 stores and 28 distribution centers in 47 states, retaining more than 173,000 employees. The company has 15 business days to comply with the citations and penalties, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director or challenge the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
