The United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration

has cited Forever 21 for three repeat violations. These violations come after citations

for similar violations were issued on January 2, 2014, and as a result of a complaint at a

Wayne, NJ location.

The citations were for stored boxes filled with merchandise in front of electrical boxes;

for failure to store material in a way that prevented sliding or collapse; and for failure to

provide a cover for fluorescent lights that would prevent accidental contact or breakage.

These are seemingly small citations in comparison to some of the more complicated

violations, however the company has been cited for these violations every year since

2010.

“Forever 21 in Paramus, N.J., was cited for workplace safety and health violations on Jan.

2, 2014, and a complaint was received at the Wayne location later that same month. The

new $158,000 citation is the result of the Wayne inspection. This is the third time in less

than seven months that Forever 21 has been cited by OSHA at three separate locations

with penalties in excess of $100,000 each,” said Lisa Levy, director of OSHA’s area

office in Hasbrouck Heights. “The employees at Forever 21 should be able to work in a

hazard-free environment. Stacking boxes safely, keeping access to electrical panel boxes

clear and putting covers over fluorescent lights are simple, basic safety measures that a

company like Forever 21 should know and must provide to its workers.”

This is another instance of a small violation having huge ramifications on a company.

If you own a business with multiple locations, be they retail, office, warehouse, or

factory spaces, it is important you have a plan in place to ensure they are all complying

with corporate policies. If you are having trouble doing this, it might be time to hire a

qualified third party occupational safety and health auditing firm to help you develop a

clear and concise strategy to do this.

If you have any questions about this case, or about how you can protect your business

with multiple locations, please contact us. If you have anything to add about the

importance of consistency among workplaces, please leave a comment.