Dollar General and its subsidiaries will pay $12 million in penalties in a major settlement with the US Department of Labor over safety violations.
The company has agreed to make substantial workplace safety improvements across its over 19,000 stores nationwide.
This settlement adds to the more than $21 million in fines the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has imposed since 2017.
These fines were due to a range of safety violations, including blocked fire exits and hazardous levels of clutter.
Data from the nonprofit Gun Violence Archive also shows gun violence has also been a significant issue at Dollar General stores.
The data states 49 people were killed and 172 injured in incidents at its locations.
In 2023, Dollar General became the first company to be listed as a “severe violator” of workplace safety rules by OSHA.
It followed the expansion of the agency’s safety enforcement program.
Dollar General has been fined more than $21 million since 2017
Douglas Parker, Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health, 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.
“It gives Dollar General employees essential input on ensuring their own health and safety.”
Under the terms of the new settlement, the retailer must hire additional safety managers and significantly reduce inventory.
The company is also required to enhance stocking efficiency to prevent blocked exits and clutter.
Dollar General must provide all employees comprehensive safety and health training.
It must also establish a safety and health committee with employee participation.
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The firm has engaged third-party consultants and auditors to identify hazards and conduct unannounced annual compliance audits.
It has also created a new Safety Operations Center and an anonymous hotline to report safety concerns.
The auditors were initially brought in after a shareholder vote in May 2023, despite opposition from the company at that time.
The settlement also mandates Dollar General to monitor the outcomes of these efforts and provide quarterly reports to OSHA.
Additionally, the retailer is required to address specific safety hazards within 48 hours and submit proof of correction.
Those hazards include blocked access to fire extinguishers and electrical panels.
Failure to comply will result in additional fines of $100,000 per day, up to a maximum of $500,000.
