Greenback Common has once more been present in violation of federal office security rules for “willfully exposing” employees to fireside hazards at a Pennsylvania retailer, the Division of Labor stated Friday. 

Investigators discovered “harmful security hazards,” together with blocked emergency exit routes and electrical panels, at a Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania, retailer throughout a November inspection that was sparked by a grievance made to the Occupational Security and Well being Administration. 

The hazards have been just like violations discovered at different shops operated by the discounter all through the U.S., and the inspection is one in every of greater than 180 investigations through which OSHA has discovered Greenback Common to be jeopardizing employee security, the DOL stated. 

In response, a Greenback Common spokesperson instructed CNBC they “repeatedly assessment and refine our security packages, and reinforce them via coaching, ongoing communication, recognition and accountability.”

“After we be taught of conditions the place we now have didn’t reside as much as this dedication, we work to well timed handle the problem and be sure that the corporate’s expectations relating to security are clearly communicated, understood and applied,” the spokesperson added. 

The corporate, which operates roughly 18,000 shops throughout the nation and employs greater than 150,000 employees, has been fined $15 million for security violations since 2017 and “continues to defy federal office security necessities” regardless of repeated penalties, the company stated. 

“Exposing staff to those hazards will be harmful, particularly in an emergency,” OSHA Space Director Mary Reynolds stated in a press release. “Greenback Common Corp. has a considerable historical past of the identical violations and hazards discovered at shops throughout the U.S. They have to finish their repeated failures to appropriate these violations earlier than an emergency turns tragic.”

Simply final week, OSHA stated Greenback Common was in settlement talks with federal regulators after the retailer was labeled a “extreme violator” of office security guidelines. Greenback Common was the primary firm to be added to the “extreme violators” listing final fall after OSHA expanded the attain of one in every of its longstanding security enforcement packages.

For the problems on the Pennsylvania retailer, OSHA issued a quotation for one willful violation and one repeat violation with $245,544 in proposed penalties, however the fines are unlikely to have a serious impression on the retailer’s steadiness sheet. 

In fiscal 2022, which ended Feb. 3, Greenback Common reported $37.84 billion in gross sales and a web earnings of $2.41 billion. 

The corporate has 15 enterprise days to both pay the fines, request a casual convention with OSHA’s space director or contest the findings earlier than the impartial Occupational Security and Well being Evaluation Fee.