Another round of routine inspections found workplace hazards at a Dollar General in Georgia, a federal agency said last week, prompting officials to seek punitive fines.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration proposed nearly $1.7 million in penalties for violations at four stores in three states, including a location in northeast Georgia, according to a news release. The workplace hazards, which were also discovered at locations in Alabama and Florida, were found in April, the government said.
The violations follow similar workplace hazard accusations levied at Dollar General stores in Smyrna, Pembroke, Hoganville and Dalton earlier this year.
OSHA, the federal government agency that oversees workplace safety, said its inspectors found four willful violations and 10 repeat violations during its most recent round of inspections, which included a store in Dewy Rose, an unincorporated community of about 160 in Elbert County. Those violations included failing to keep storage areas clean and materials being stacked in an unsafe manner, the release said.
“We will use our full enforcement powers to hold Dollar General accountable for its ongoing pattern of behavior until they show that they take worker safety seriously,” Doug Parker, OSHA’s assistant secretary for occupational safety and health, said in the release.
Dollar General did not immediately respond to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s request for comment. Previously the Goodlettsville, Tenn.-based company said it would work cooperatively with OSHA and “took immediate action to address issues.”
Dollar stores have expanded over the years, becoming popular stops for everyday goods while generating backlash and moratoriums in some jurisdictions, including DeKalb County.
Dollar General can either pay the fines, contest the citation or request a meeting with OSHA’s area director.
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