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Medina County Dollar General store fined by OSHA after endangering workers

OSHA cited the Dollar General in Seville and proposed a $145,000 penalty after the store placed locks on the emergency exit.

SEVILLE, Ohio — A Dollar General store in Medina County is facing hefty consequences from the U.S. Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) after a violation during a recent safety inspection. 

According to a release, OSHA conducted an inspection on January 11 of this year at the Seville Dollar General. 

During their visit, OSHA inspectors found barrel locks on the inside of the emergency exit. The locks were deemed dangerous as they could prevent workers from having a quick and safe exit in the case of an emergency. 

“OSHA cites Dollar General stores frequently for exposing workers to serious hazards, including the use of locks at exits, which can be catastrophic in an emergency,” said OSHA Regional Administrator William Donovan. “This company’s willingness to gamble with workers’ lives is disturbing and must stop before tragedy strikes.”

OSHA determined that the store would be cited for one willful violation and a proposed $145,027 penalty in fines. 

The store in Seville is not the only Dollar General location facing consequences from OSHA. A Baldwin, Wisconsin, store received four citations after blocking emergency routes, exits and fire extinguishers and not leaving enough space near electrical panels.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, numerous citations have been given nationwide to Dollar General stores since 2017.

The most common violations have been related to obstructed exit routes, portable fire extinguishers and blocked electrical panels.

Multiple times, Dollar General Corp.’s Director of Risk Management Adam Zager worked with OSHA to sign settlement agreements, stating that he would resolve these violations. 

Dollar General has 15 business days from the day the citation and penalties are received to comply, request an informal conference with each of OSHA's area directors, or contest the findings before a commission. 

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