US discount retail chain Dollar General has agreed to pay a $12m fine and implement safety improvements for workers across its stores nationwide, the US Department of Labor has stated.
The retailer and its subsidiaries have entered a corporate-wide settlement with the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
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The agreement mandates the establishment of an expanded safety structure and a comprehensive safety and health management system, including the recruitment of additional safety managers.
The discount retailer has also committed to reducing inventory and enhancing stocking efficiency to prevent blocked exits and unsafe material storage.
Dollar General will provide safety and health training to leadership and non-managerial staff, develop a safety and health committee and encourage employee participation in safety initiatives.
Dollar General will be required to promptly address any future violations related to blocked exits, access to fire extinguishers and electrical panels, and improper material storage.
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By GlobalDataThe company must rectify such hazards within 48 hours and provide proof of correction.
Failure to comply may result in monetary assessments of up to $500,000 and further OSHA inspection and enforcement actions.
To assist in identifying and analysing potential hazards, Dollar General has engaged a third-party consultant.
A third-party auditor has been retained to conduct unannounced compliance audits annually.
The retailer has also established a new safety operations centre to detect store hazards and support safety performance, and now maintains an anonymous hotline for reporting safety concerns.
Dollar General will monitor the effectiveness of these measures and submit quarterly reports to OSHA.
OSHA assistant secretary Douglas Parker said: “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.
“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.”
Headquartered in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, Dollar General operates more than 19,000 stores nationwide.
