Dollar General Stores Cited Again for Safety Failures: $3.4M in Proposed Fines

In recent inspections conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor, unsafe working conditions were once again discovered at Dollar General and Dolgencorp discount stores across multiple states. The inspections, carried out in late 2022, took place at nine locations in Maine, North Dakota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

These findings have resulted in proposed penalties of $3.4 million, adding to the more than $21 million in fines that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has previously proposed since 2017, following 240 inspections conducted at stores nationwide.

OSHA’s inspections consistently reveal violations of federal regulations at Dollar General stores, including blocked aisles, emergency exits, fire extinguishers, and electrical panels. Stored merchandise and other materials often obstruct these areas, with boxes stacked unsafely. Such conditions pose risks of fire, electrical accidents, and other hazards for employees. The recent inspections conducted in October, November, and December 2022 in Maine, North Dakota, Ohio, and Wisconsin found multiple safety violations.

Additionally, OSHA learned that six employees at a North Dakota store were exposed to toxic vapors, resulting from the rupture and mixing of chemical containers in December 2022. Three of these employees required medical treatment. Dollar General was cited for not providing adequate respiratory protection and personal protective equipment to employees and for failing to train them on safe handling of hazardous chemicals and proper clean-up procedures.

These recent findings and penalties add to Dollar General Corp. and Dolgencorp LLC’s extensive history of workplace safety violations, which includes willful, repeat, and serious violations. This history prompted OSHA to include Dollar General Corp. in its Severe Violator Enforcement Program. The companies, headquartered in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, operate approximately 19,000 stores and 28 distribution centers across 47 states, employing over 173,000 workers. In fiscal year 2022, Dollar General Corp. reported net sales exceeding $9 billion.