OSHA Fall-Prevention Campaign Targets Dollar General Remodel and Contractor Hazards

A fresh coat of paint or a new sales layout does not erase the fall hazards that can show up when Dollar General stores are being remodeled. At active locations, ladders, stockroom work, deliveries and contractor traffic can create the kind of conditions OSHA is warning employers to spot before somebody gets hurt.

OSHA launched its 13th annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction on May 4, and the campaign runs through May 8. The agency says falls remain the leading cause of construction deaths, and it is pushing toolbox talks, training and hazard-awareness exercises aimed at roofing, ladders and scaffolding. OSHA has partnered on the effort since 2012 with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the National Occupational Research Agenda - Construction Sector.

The numbers explain why the warning still matters. OSHA says falls from elevation accounted for 389 of the 1,034 construction fatalities recorded in 2024, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. That is not a narrow jobsite problem. At Dollar General, remodel crews and outside contractors often work inches away from cashiers, stockers and customers, which means a temporary setup can become a daily hazard if no one is watching the edges, the ladders or the flow of people through the store.

The practical red flags are easy to name. A ladder left open in a busy aisle, scaffolding without clear boundaries, roofing work underway while store traffic continues below, or stockroom stacking that blocks sight lines and exits should all trigger a stop-work question or an immediate escalation. So should contractor activity that has not been coordinated with store leadership, warning zones that are being ignored, or any setup that makes workers squeeze around materials and tools to reach the back room. A clean sales floor does not matter if the work behind the scenes is creating a fall risk.

The reminder lands especially hard for Dollar General, which has faced repeated OSHA enforcement over unsafe store conditions in recent years. In July 2024, OSHA said a corporate-wide settlement would require significant workplace safety improvements nationwide, including correcting certain hazards generally within 48 hours and creating a safety and health committee. Earlier enforcement also cited blocked exit routes, unsafe stacking and other hazards, problems that can become even more dangerous when remodels and contractor crews are moving through a store at the same time.