OSHA News Brief
April 10, 2024
US Department of Labor fines Colorado Trader Joe's nearly $217K for violating federal safety regulations
Company repeatedly cited for multiple worker safety issues
Employer name: Trader Joe's Co.
Investigation site: 5910 South University Blvd., Greenwood Village, CO 80121
Investigation findings: During a December 2023 inspection, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration found safety hazards associated with unsafe forklift operations and lack of training for forklift operators.
Citations and proposed penalties: 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 total $216,902 as a result of the Colorado inspection.
Background: Trader Joe's is a popular grocery store chain with eight locations in Colorado and 568 stores across the country. The company is headquartered in Monrovia, California. Trader Joe's Co. has 15 business days from receipt of citation 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.
Quote: "Employers must comply with all federal safety standards, including forklift safety training and keeping areas around electrical equipment clear to help prevent serious injuries and fatal incidents," explained OSHA Area Director Chad Vivian in Englewood, Colorado. "We will continue to cite companies that fail to implement the measures necessary to protect their employees from these hazards."
Media Contacts:
Chauntra Rideaux, 972-850-4710, rideaux.chauntra.d@dol.gov
Juan J. Rodríguez, 972-850-4709, rodriguez.juan@dol.gov
Release Number: 24-453-DEN