Target To Pay Nearly $500K In Fines For Blocked Exit Citations

DANVERS, MA — Target has agreed to pay $464,750 in fines and correct exit and storage access issues discovered at stores in four states, including the Danvers and Framingham locations, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration said the two Massachusetts stores were among eight in the Northeast cited between May and December 2019 for violations that included blocked emergency exits and unsafe storage in backrooms and storage areas.

Inspectors found emergency exits in backrooms blocked by packing boxes, products, rolling carts, metal bars, portable ladders, and a powered industrial truck. It was the 11th time since 2015 OSHA has cited Target for similar infractions at stores in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, New Jersey and New York.

The Department of Labor said Target Corp. initially contested the citations, but then agreed to the settlement and to take steps over the next two years to ensure access and storage issues remain resolved.

"Obstructed emergency exit access impedes employees' ability to exit swiftly in the event of a fire or other emergency and unsafe storage of materials exposes employees to crushing and struck-by hazards," OSHA Regional Administrator Galen Blanton, of Boston, said. "Employers are responsible for supplying their employees with safe and healthful workplaces."

The U.S. Department of Labor said Target Corp. will build on its existing safety programs through the following commitments:

• Authorize stores' management to delay incoming delivery of inventory if needed to ensure safe egress conditions;
• Authorize stores’ management to requisition additional storage capacity, such as storage trailer or offsite storage space, if needed to ensure safe egress conditions.
• Conduct surveillance camera monitoring of egress conditions at select “high-risk” stores.
• Have outside managers visit each store at least twice per year to monitor egress safety, and address any problems;
• Arrange unannounced third-party audits of egress safety at each store at least once each year, with a second audit the next quarter if a store fails the initial audit;
• Retrain all affected employees on issues covered by settlement.
• Permit OSHA access to the stores to verify compliance with the settlement agreement and determine if cited conditions were addressed.

The settlement will become a final order 30 days after the docketing of the Administrative Law Judge's Order Terminating Proceedings.

Related Patch Coverage: Danvers, Framingham Target Stores Cited For Blocked Exits