Dollar Tree fined over $250K for safety violations

Dollar Tree has been slapped with a substantial fine by the U.S. government after a Texas location was found to be lax in workplace safety regulations.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued citations to the company for three repeat violations and proposed $254,478 in penalties.

In September 2022, OSHA opened an inspection at a store in Mount Pleasant, Texas, and found blocked exit routes that exposed employees to fire hazards. They also discovered boxes stacked at unstable heights with the potential to seriously injure workers.

“Soon after federal workplace safety inspectors arrived at a Dollar Tree store in Mount Pleasant, Texas, they found the national discount retailer again shortchanging employee safety — continuing a pattern of disregard dating back to 2017 — by allowing storeroom merchandise to block exits and walkways and stacking boxes high enough to fall on workers,” the U.S. Department of Labor said in a recent release.

The release stated that, since 2017, federal and state OSHA programs have identified over 300 violations in more than 500 inspections at Dollar Tree and Family Dollar stores operated by Dollar Tree Inc., based in Chesapeake, Virginia. 

Those violations include blocked exit routes, unsafe working areas and unsafely stacked boxes and merchandise are all-too-commonly found by workplace safety inspectors.

Related:Dollar Tree sales momentum continues with solid Q4 results

Dollar Tree did not respond to a request for comment at time of publication.

One of the nation’s largest retail discount chains, Dollar Tree operates more than 16,000 Dollar Tree and Family Dollar locations in 48 states and five Canadian provinces.