OSHA Finds Recurring Violations at Trader Joe’s Store in Colorado

OSHA Finds Recurring Violations at Trader Joe’s Store in Colorado

The popular grocery chain faces proposed penalties of $216,902.

  • By Robert Yaniz Jr.
  • Apr 17, 2024

OSHA has fined Monrovia, California-based grocery chain Trader Joe's Co. $216,902 for failing to comply with federal safety regulations at one of its Colorado locations. The company operates 568 stores across the United States, including eight in Colorado.

According to a recent release, inspectors found the Greenwood Village store did not provide adequate training for forklift operators and failed to conduct necessary equipment inspections, a violation identified in three previous OSHA inspections. 

The store also repeatedly obstructed access to electrical equipment by storing boxes in front of panels, another recurring violation at Trader Joe’s locations in other states.

“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,” OSHA Area Director Chad Vivian in Englewood, Colorado, said in a statement. “We will continue to cite companies that fail to implement the measures necessary to protect their employees from these hazards.”

Trader Joe's has 15 business days from the receipt of the citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA, or contest the agency’s findings.

About the Author

Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.

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