Dollar General, one of the most profitable retail stores in the country, still owes at least $17 million worth of fines related to workplace safety violations.
According to a recent report from Retail Dive, the retailer has racked up around $21 million in fines from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration over the years. However, the company has only paid about $4 million.
The fines stem from violations ranging from cluttered isles in the stores to not providing employees with training or protective equipment to deal with dangerous chemicals.
In April, OSHA slapped the company with another $400,000 in fines, citing a Florida location that had isles completely blocked by merchandise. Some stores have been so cluttered that fire marshals have ordered the stores closed until management can fix the issue.
Employees say that Dollar General has not done enough to provide adequate staffing at stores. Many stores have had to deal with just one employee per shift. Meaning that workers are stuck working the register, making it impossible to deal with inventory and stocking.
OSHA has recently labeled Dollar General a “severe violator” of safety requirements. Meaning the company is officially designated as one that repeatedly fails to fix violations. In May, shortly after the announcement, the company’s shareholders voted to investigate safety issues in their stores.
• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.
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