Federal enforcement of workplace safety laws often seems to focus on large industrial and institutional facilities, given the presence of arc flash threats, heavy equipment and other large-scale and explosive risks. But as demonstrated by seemingly growing interest in other types of facilities — most notoriously, the years-long crackdown on Dollar General stores nationwide — federal inspectors are showing more interest in any and all facilities that might not comply with federal laws.
Consider the case of Trader Joe’s. During a December 2023 inspection at the Trader Joe's store in Greenwood Village, Colorado, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) found safety hazards associated with unsafe forklift operations and lack of training for forklift operators.
OSHA cited Trader Joe's for lack of adequate safety training for forklift operators and failing to inspect forklifts at the Greenwood Village facility. Trader Joe's had been cited for violating these same standards in three prior OSHA inspections in Pennsylvania, Maine and Massachusetts.
The company was also cited for repeatedly blocking and rendering inaccessible electrical equipment with boxes, a violation that Trader Joe's was previously cited in Maine, New York and New Jersey. Proposed penalties from the Colorado inspection total $216,902.
Dan Hounsell is senior editor for the facilities market. He has more than 30 years of experience writing about facilities maintenance, engineering and management.
