Dollar General hit by worker safety fines at three Southeast stores

Common dollar was fined $387,000 for violating worker safety rules, this time for problems at three Southeast stores, Ministry of Labor Thursday said.

Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspectors found merchandise blocking exit routes from two Florida stores, exposing workers to fire and pinch hazards, as well as blocked exit routes and unstable stocks of boxes and merchandise at an Alabama store. Press release.

“Dollar General’s growing track record of disregard for safety measures makes it abundantly clear that the company puts profit before people,” Kurt Petermeyer, OSHA regional administrator, said in a statement. “These breaches are preventable, and failure to prevent them shows a blatant disregard for the workers they depend on to run their stores. OSHA continues to work hard to hold Dollar General accountable for its failures.”

The department said Dollar General has 15 days to comply with its demands and fines, request a conference call with OSHA, or contest the findings.

Dollar General did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Dollar General has been fined more than $15 million since 2017 for various violations, according to the Department of Labor.

The agency reports that over the past 11 months, dozens of such violations have been identified in 19 stores in Alabama, Florida and Georgia.

Seven checks in three states resulted in $2.7 million in November 2022 fines, in addition to similar $1.6 million in October. In August, Dollar General was fined nearly $1.3 million for similar violations at the company’s three Georgia offices.

In August, the opponent dollar tree was also fined $1.2 million by OSHA for safety violations.