In Pawtucket and East Providence, Dollar Tree faces major OSHA fines

Jack Perry, The Providence Journal
·2 min read
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Dollar Tree Inc. faces $770,136 in fines for safety violations at stores in East Providence and Pawtucket that "exposed employees to serious risks and injuries," according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Responding to complaints about unsafe conditions at the stores, the Labor Department said inspectors found violations of the department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards.

In Pawtucket, OSHA inspectors found large piles of materials blocking access to emergency exits, with one exit completely blocked, according to the Department of Labor. Inspectors also found storage room materials blocking access to fire extinguishers.

Customers leave a Dollar Tree store in Coventry. Parent company Dollar Tree Inc. is facing $770,000 in fines after the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration found safety violations at stores in Pawtucket and East Providence.
Customers leave a Dollar Tree store in Coventry. Parent company Dollar Tree Inc. is facing $770,000 in fines after the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration found safety violations at stores in Pawtucket and East Providence.

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In East Providence, inspectors found helium compressed gas cylinders stored and labeled improperly, and also lacking caps for valve protection, the Labor Department said.

In both stores, inspectors found unsafe storage of materials, with boxed materials stacked up to 7 feet high, the Labor Department said.

OSHA cited the East Providence store for three repeat violations, with $319,220 in proposed fines, and the Pawtucket location for four repeat violations, with $450,916 in proposed fines.

Dollar Tree has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, the Labor Department said.

Dollar Tree says it takes safety issues seriously

"At Dollar Tree we are focused on maintaining a safe environment for our associates and customers and ensuring our stores comply with all health and safety regulations," Kristin Tetreault, chief communications officer, said in an emailed response to The Journal. "We take the issues identified in our Rhode Island stores seriously, remediate them as quickly as possible and continue to enhance our safety program and protocols."

The Labor Department says OSHA has cited Dollar Tree previously for similar hazards at stores in Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Texas and Wisconsin.

“Providing employees with clearly recognized and legally required safeguards, such as unimpeded exit access, properly stored materials and readily available fire extinguishers, must be a priority for any employer and should not be ignored,” OSHA Area Director Robert Sestito said.

Based in Chesapeake, Va., Dollar Tree operates more than 16,000 Dollar Tree and Family Dollar stores in the United States and Canada, with some 200,000 employees.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Dollar Tree stores in RI face significant OSHA fines