Nationwide chain Dollar General will pay $12 million to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to resolve alleged offenses at its more than 19,000 stores.
The violations included allegations of “blocked emergency exits, blocked electrical panels, blocked fire extinguishers and unsafe storage,” the Department of Labor said.
Dollar General has racked up more than $21 million in fines since 2017 over obstructed exits and cluttered aisles, according to CNBC.
In addition to the $12 million payment, the settlement reached Thursday lays down compliance and safety measures that Dollar General has to abide by.
The chain must ensure that emergency exits are easily opened and paths to them clear, that areas with fire extinguishers are accessible and visible, that permanent electrical wiring is used instead of extension cords and surge protectors, that aisles and hallways of stores are unobstructed and that containers and loose inventory are stacked at lower heights to ensure stability and prevent sliding or collapse.
Other safety measures include giving Dollar General’s regional directors the power to block truck deliveries if the new inventory would impede emergency exit routes and overall safety in a store’s back room and maintaining a hotline that employees and customers can use to report possible safety violations.
A third-party auditor has also been retained by Dollar General to find possible hazards in stores and come up with ways to mitigate them.
For future violations relating to improperly stored materials or blocked exits, fire extinguishers and electrical panels, Dollar General will have 48 hours to resolve the issue. A $100,000 fine will be levied per day that the hazard is not fixed, up to $500,000.
“We are pleased to have reached an agreement with OSHA to resolve these matters. We remain committed to ensuring a safe working environment for our employees and a pleasant shopping experience for our customers,” Dollar General told The Associated Press.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
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