OSHA Issues Petco Store Citations for Rodents, Other Hazards

OSHA Issues Petco Store Citations for Rodents, Other Hazards

The Andover, Massachusetts location faces proposed penalties of $129,473.

  • By Robert Yaniz Jr.
  • Jul 25, 2023

Petco operates more than 1,500 pet supplies stores throughout the United States, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. And now one location in Andover, Massachusetts, is facing citations from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).

In a release dated July 21, OSHA announced the store had received two repeat and two serious violations, amounting to a proposed $129,473 in penalties.

Following an employee complaint, OSHA investigators in February 2023 discovered the Petco store lacked an effective vermin control program. As a result, workers were routinely exposed to live and dead rodents as well as their waste. Another Petco store in Corpus Christi, Texas, received citation for a similar violation in 2021.

In addition, the North Andover location received citations for electrical hazards—stemming from the blocked access of electrical panels—as well as chemical hazards related to unlabeled containers and inadequate eyewash and cleaning. A Petco in Columbus, Ohio, received a similar citation in 2022 relating to electrical safety.

"Protecting the safety and health of employees must be a core value for employers, large and small," OSHA Area Director Sarah T. Carle in Andover, Massachusetts said in a statement. "After previous citations for similar violations, Petco is well aware of the importance of having effective programs in place to control pests and safeguard against hazards at all of its locations."

Petco has 15 business days to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA or contest its findings.

About the Author

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

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