Dollar General stores in Adams, Franklin and Dauphin counties are the latest in the corporations’ operations to be sited by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for safety violations, resulting in close to $268,000 in penalties.
OSHA said federal workplace safety inspectors found hazardous conditions at four Pennsylvania stores owned and operated by Dollar General Corp. and Dolgencorp LLC like those identified at the company’s locations in more than 240 inspections across the nation since 2017.
These inspections have led to more than $21 million in proposed penalties for the national discount retailer.
Responding to a complaint, the U.S. Department of Labor’s OSHA said inspectors found Dollar General exposed employees to blocked exit routes and electrical panels, and overall poor housekeeping practices.
OSHA issued citations for two repeat and two serious violations and one other-than-serious safety violation with $267,652 in newly proposed penalties.
The agency inspected stores at 4910 Fairfield Road in Fairfield, Adams County, 5736 Carlisle Pike in New Oxford, Adams County, 16300 Path Valley Road in Spring Run, Franklin County, and 881 Peters Mountain Road in Dauphin, Dauphin County.
“OSHA found federal safety regulations ignored and Dollar General’s employees exposed to potentially dangerous conditions that are preventable,” said OSHA Area Director Kevin Chambers in Harrisburg. “These are serious concerns that, left uncorrected, could lead to disaster for employees and others in an emergency.”
OSHA said, in October 2022, it added Dollar General Corp. and Dolgencorp LLC to its Severe Violator Enforcement Program.
Based in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, Dollar General Corp. and Dolgencorp LLC operate about 18,000 stores and 17 distribution centers in 47 states and employ more than 150,000 workers.
Dollar General has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Editor’s note: OSHA updated the amount of the fines from $227,898 to $267,652 after the initial story ran.