OSHA Inspection: DOLLAR TREE STORES, INC.

Issued

Feb 25, 2020

Penalty

Initial $127,223 · Current $82,695 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.37(a)(3): The employer does not ensure exit route(s) are kept free and unobstructed:  Location: Stock room: On or about September 5, 2019, exit routes were not kept free and unobstructed in the following areas:  a) Cartons/boxes of merchandise obstructed the exit route from the entranceway into the stock room to the exit doors.  b) Cartons/boxes of merchandise obstructed the width of the exit route way of travel from the walk-in cooler and employee break area to the stock room exit.  c) Cartons/boxes of merchandise obstructed the exit route way of travel from the cardboard baler area to the stock room exit.  d) A portable, flexible, roller conveyor was placed directly in front of the stock room exit to the outside obstructing more than half the width of the door.    Dollar Tree Stores, Incorporated was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.37(a)(3), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1269761, citation number 1, item number 1 and was affirmed as a final order on September 9, 2018, with respect to a workplace located at 1155 S. Havana Street, Unit 23, Aurora, CO 80012.  The employer fails to ensure each exit route from working areas of the stock room are maintained at least 28" wide. To abate this violation, the employer must ensure objects such as U-boat type warehouse stock carts and cartons of merchandise are not placed, stacked or projecting into exit routes to ensure all employees would be able to evacuate safely during an emergency.

Issued

Feb 25, 2020

Penalty

Initial $127,223 · Current $82,695 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.176(b): The employer does not ensure material stored in tiers are stacked, blocked, interlocked or limited in height so that it is stable and secure against sliding and collapse:  Location: Stock room: On or about September 5, 2019, cartons/boxes of merchandise above head height were not stacked securely to prevent sliding or falling exposing employees to collapse and struck-by hazards:  (a) Cartons/boxes of merchandise that were piled up high and in an unstable manner, along left side of the aisleway that leads to the cardboard baler machine.   (b) Cartons/boxes of merchandise that were piled up high and in an unstable manner, across the room from the cardboard baler machine.   (c) Cartons/boxes of merchandise that were piled up at a height above reach, along the right side the aisleway that leads into the stock room from the store front.  Dollar Tree Stores, Inc. was previously cited for a repeat violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.176(b), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1269761, citation number 1, item number 2a issued on June 14, 2018, and was affirmed as a final order on September 7, 2018, with respect to a workplace located at 1155 S. Havana Street, Unit 23, Aurora, CO 80012.  To abate this violation, the employer must ensure delivered cartons of merchandise being unloaded from the truck to the store's stock room are being stacked in a stable manner. The employer must ensure employees move merchandise from the stock room to retail shelving prior to the next delivery in order to maintain stacks of cartons at stable heights in lieu of piles, to prevent collapse and struck-by hazards.

Issued

Feb 25, 2020

Penalty

Initial $57,252 · Current $37,214 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(a)(1): The employer does not provide clean and sanitary conditions for all places of employment, passageways, storerooms, service rooms, and walking-working surfaces.  Location: Stock room and Store Front area. On or about September 5, 2019, trash that had accumulated over time was not disposed of in a timely manner creating unsanitary conditions:  a) Employee break room trash barrel was full and trash was left under the computer training station in the stock room. b) The trash barrel in the rest room was overflowing with trash. c) A full barrel of trash was not emptied, at an unattended cashiers station.  Dollar Tree Stores, Incorporated was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.22(a)(1), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1055319, citation number 1, item number 1 and was affirmed as a final order on September 29, 2015, with respect to a workplace located at 894 Sunrise Highway in Bay Shore, NY 11706.  To abate this violation, the employer must ensure that contents in trash barrels and waste debris that is dropped on the floor are disposed of on a timely or routine basis, to prevent unsanitary conditions.

Issued

Feb 25, 2020

Penalty

Initial $127,226 · Current $82,697 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.176(c): The employer does not ensure storage areas are kept free from accumulation of materials that constituted hazards from tripping, fire, explosion or pest harborage:  Location: Stock room:  On September 5, 2019, cartons and boxes stored in excess created fire hazards due to the amount of flammable and combustible materials stored.   a) In the aisle leading from the cardboard baler.   b) Along the back wall and in "household chemicals area" of the stock room.  The Dollar Tree Stores, Incorporated was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.176(c), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1269761, citation number 1, item number 2b and was affirmed as a final order on September 7, 2018, with respect to a workplace located at 1155 S. Havana Street, Unit 23, Aurora, CO 80012.  To abate this violation, the employer must ensure cardboard cartons of merchandise are not overstocked, and empty broken down cardboard cartons are not stored in excess.

Issued

Feb 25, 2020

Abate by

Mar 3, 2021

Penalty

Initial $84,821 · Current $55,134 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(g)(1): The employer does not ensure that sufficient access and working space was not provided and maintained about all electric equipment to permit ready and safe operation and maintenance of such equipment.  Location: Store Front; Electrical Panel closet: On or about September 5, both the access to the electrical closet and the working space directly in front of electrical panels was not being maintained.  Dollar Tree Stores, Inc. was previously cited for a repeat violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.303(g)(1), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 967705, citation number 2, item number 4 issued on October 14, 2014, and was affirmed as a final order on January 28,2016, with respect to a workplace located at 8028 Denton Highway, Watauga, TX 76148.   The employer fails to ensure access to and working space about all electric equipment is unobstructed and free from stored merchandise cartons and other objects. To abate this violation, the employer must ensure objects such as U-boat warehouse stock carts and cartons of merchandise are not placed in the aisle way to the electrical closet, nor in front of panels.