Duane Reade Manhattan 6th Avenue Store Exposes Employees to Fire and Crushing Hazards
The hazards were due to blocked exits and carelessly piled stock
OSHA has stated that employees of a Duane Reade store on 6th Avenue in Manhattan would have been unable to exit the store swiftly and safely in the event of a fire or other emergency. As a result, the organization has cited Duane Reade for one repeated and four serious violations.
An inspection found that three emergency exit routes from the store’s basement were blocked by boxes, crates, garbage bags and merchandise stored or strewn in aisles and passageways. The emergency exit lights were not illuminated, and one exit was also not marked.
"An exit route should not be an obstacle course. Seconds count during a fire or other emergency. These obstructions steal away precious moments employees could use to save themselves," said Kay Gee, OSHA's area director in Manhattan. "This is especially troubling because we cited Duane Reade in 2013 for similar hazards at its 598 Broadway store in Lower Manhattan."