After incurring multiple fines for workplace safety violations in recent years, discount retailers Dollar Tree and Family Dollar have entered into an agreement with federal regulators to address the widespread hazards found within their stores. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced on Wednesday that the two chains will conduct a nationwide assessment to identify the root causes of these violations, such as blocked fire exits, and develop a plan to resolve them within a two-year period. Dollar Tree acquired Family Dollar in 2015.
As part of the agreement, the companies will pay $1.35 million to settle several open inspections and violations. If OSHA identifies a hazard in one of their stores, the companies will have two days to rectify the issue or face penalties of up to $500,000. Additionally, Dollar Tree will be required to establish advisory groups where workers can raise safety concerns, maintain a hotline for reporting hazards without fear of retaliation, and hire more safety specialists.
OSHA head Doug Parker expressed confidence in the discount chains’ commitment to addressing these problems and believes that the implemented plan will significantly improve safety and health for their workers.
Frequent shoppers at dollar stores are familiar with the challenges posed by unboxed merchandise cluttering the aisles, making navigation difficult. OSHA has issued numerous fines and publicized them for obstructing exits, unsafe storage practices, and blocking access to fire extinguishers and electrical panels.
Dollar Tree has been cited for similar infractions in various states, including Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Texas, and Wisconsin, resulting in over 300 violations identified by OSHA through more than 500 inspections since 2017. Dollar General, another leading dollar-store chain, has also faced repeated fines for similar issues.
The dollar-store industry has experienced significant growth in recent years, with Family Dollar and Dollar Tree collectively operating 16,000 stores in the U.S. and Canada. Dollar General, on the other hand, boasts over 19,000 stores across 47 states.
The safety hazards highlighted by OSHA seem to be rooted, at least in part, in the labor model adopted by the dollar-store industry. These stores often operate with limited staffing, leading to challenges in stocking shelves and fulfilling basic duties. This model also puts dollar-store employees at a higher risk of armed robbery.
While the agreement with OSHA does not enforce the addition of more workers, Parker believes that it will help alleviate some of the issues associated with lean staffing. The companies will need to identify stores with high volume and limited space, referred to as “challenge” stores, and devise solutions such as increasing staff hours.
Overall, this agreement represents a significant step towards improving workplace safety in discount retailers and ensuring the well-being of their employees.
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