One of the country’s fastest-growing retail chains has had to settle with the Labor Department over extensive safety violations that put its workers in danger.
$12 Million Fine
Discount chain retailer Dollar General has agreed to pay a $12 million penalty and implement immediate new safety protocols in its stores, according to a statement from the U.S. Labor Department.
Settlement with OSHA
The agreement was settled with the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) over safety violations involving unsafe storage and blocked fire exits and extinguishers that put the company’s workers in danger.
48-Hour Deadline
It also includes a 48-hour deadline requiring the company to implement new protocols to improve employee safety, starting when the agreement was signed on Thursday.
Harsh Penalties
If the company fails to meet the deadline for correcting safety hazards, the penalties could be harsh, according to a follow-up statement from OSHA on Friday.
Up to Half a Million Per Day
“Failure to do so subjects Dollar General to monetary assessments of $100,000 per day of violation, up to $500,000, as well as OSHA inspection and enforcement actions,” the department declared.
New Protocols for Dollar General
Other new protocols include hiring new safety managers, establishing more extensive health and safety training for all employees, developing a new company-wide health and safety committee, and reducing merchandise in individual stores to prevent any potential for blocked emergency exits.
A “Severe Violator”
Dollar General has been under frequent investigation by OSHA since as early as 2010 and has even been marked as a “severe violator” of federal law by the U.S. Labor Department.
Severe Violator Enforcement Program
The “Severe Violator Enforcement Program” was expanded upon by OSHA last year, allowing the department to include companies that repeatedly violate regulations, with Dollar General being the first name added following the expansion.
Tens of Millions Over a Decade
Since 2010 OSHA has charged the company with hundreds of violations for which they have had to pay tens of millions of dollars, with this $12 million penalty being the latest penalty.
Historic Violations
Historic safety violations included unmarked and blocked emergency exits, fire hazards, improperly used and placed electrical cords, and inaccessible electric panels.
Labor Secretary Weighs In
Safety regulators hope this latest agreement will finally bring some closure to Dollar General’s repeated safety violations, which US Labor Secretary Julie Su said “drives [her] crazy.”
Ending the Practise
The agreement itself describes the penalty and 48-hour countdown as ending “this practice of [Dollar General] constantly finding violations, fining them, and then seeing the violations repeat.”
Changing Corporate Behaviour?
Su described the settlement as a “very strong” example of how government agencies can help to “change corporate behavior from the top down.”
Dollar General Responds
Dollar General also gave an email statement responding to the settlement and their satisfaction with the deal. “We remain committed to ensuring a safe working environment for our employees and a pleasant shopping experience for our customers,” the email read.
Rapidly Growing Company
The discount chain is a major and rapidly expanding retailer, with more than 19,000 stores across the country, and has been opening approximately 1000 stores per year. It is one of the fastest-growing retail companies in the country.
Devastating Consequences
However, Dollar General has a long history of disregarding the safety of employees, which has had devastating consequences for its workforce.
Shocking Safety Statistics
According to data from the non-profit group Gun Violence Archive, 49 people have been killed in General Dollar stores since 2014, and 172 have been injured. Six employees were killed by gun violence between 2016 and 2020, based on a CNN report.
Outrage from Workers and Advocates
Dollar General’s safety violations and these subsequent fatalities have led to public outcry and protests from workers and labor advocates around the country. This settlement is a necessary step in reassuring the thousands of workers that the company employs.
“Making Worker Safety a Priority”
“This agreement commits Dollar General to making worker safety a priority by implementing significant and systematic changes in its operations to improve accountability and compliance, and it gives Dollar General employees essential input on ensuring their own health and safety,” said OSHA Assistant Secretary Douglas L. Parker.
“Giving Peace of Mind to Workers”
“These changes help give peace of mind to thousands of workers, knowing that they are not risking their safety in their workplaces and that they will come home healthy at the end of each day,” he added.
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