Petco workers faced rodents — alive and dead — regularly in Massachusetts store, feds say
A Petco supply store in Massachusetts became a refuge for rodents — alive and dead — that employees constantly encountered during their workday, federal officials said.
The workers were consistently exposed to the creatures’ droppings and urine as the rodents made a home out of the sales floor and receiving room at Petco Animal Supplies Stores Inc. in North Andover, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
The agency’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration learned of the conditions at the store after opening an inspection in February 2023 following an employee’s complaint, officials said.
Alongside a rodent infestation, OSHA found Petco exposed its North Andover employees to electrical and chemical dangers, according to the agency.
The inspection revealed electrical panels inside the shop were blocked, unlabeled containers of cleaning chemicals were left out and the store didn’t have stations for workers to wash themselves if they came into contact with corrosive chemicals, officials said.
As a result, the Labor Department cited the North Andover store and proposed $129,473 in penalties over unsafe working conditions, the agency announced in a July 21 news release.
“We have extremely high standards for safety and sanitation in our Petco pet care centers and we follow a strict protocol to prevent and, if needed, address any concerns,” Petco told McClatchy News in an emailed statement on July 24.
“We’re aware of the citations received at our North Andover location and have been working diligently with internal and third-party experts to resolve the matter,” the statement said. “We’re also investigating unrelated safety concerns noted by the citations and will take immediate steps to address and resolve as appropriate. “
When OSHA inspectors visited the North Andover store, they found a vermin control program wasn’t in place, according to the release.
“Protecting the safety and health of employees must be a core value for employers, large and small,” OSHA area director Sarah T. Carle said in a statement.
The agency’s proposed penalties come after similar rodent violations at a Petco in Corpus Christi, Texas, in 2021 and electrical hazards at a Columbus, Ohio, store in 2022, according to officials.
“After previous citations for similar violations, Petco is well aware of the importance of having effective programs in place to control pests and safeguard against hazards at all of its locations,” Carle said.
The North Andover Petco shop has 15 days after receiving the citations and penalties to comply and pay, request an informal meeting with Carle or contest the agency’s findings before an OSHA Review Commission, officials said.
North Andover is about 25 miles north of Boston.
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