ARC THRIFT STORES

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, ARC THRIFT STORES — a retail trade facility located at 6500 W. 120TH AVE, BROOMFIELD, CO 80020 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 5 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $30,000.00. The inspection case was opened on 2021-12-02.

DOL records document workplace safety violations warranting formal citation under the OSH Act. While classified at the standard enforcement level, all OSHA citations require corrective action and may indicate areas where workplace safety programs should be strengthened.

BLS Injury Data: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022), this industry sector has an occupational injury rate of 3.1 per 100 full-time workers — 15% above the national average of 2.7. The sector fatality rate is 2.2 per 100,000 workers.

Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $30,000.00 is more than 4.6× the national average of $6,467.77 for facilities in the Retail sector (NAICS 453310). This sector encompasses 10,854 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $70.2M.

State Context: Within CO, this facility's penalty places it at the 99th percentile among 32,935 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $3,271.13.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 5 citations spanning 5 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 4 serious — A workplace hazard that could cause death or serious physical harm exists, and the employer knew or should have known about the condition. 1 repeat — A substantially similar violation was found during a previous inspection and the original citation has become a final order.

Enforcement Timeline: Citations were issued beginning April 14, 2022 with the latest abatement deadline set for May 10, 2022. Of the 5 total citations, 0 (0%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, which may indicate ongoing compliance gaps requiring further regulatory attention.

Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $30,000.00 reflects OSHA's gravity-based penalty calculation methodology, which considers the severity of potential injury, the probability of occurrence, the employer's size, good faith, and violation history. The per-citation average of $6,000.00 falls within the standard penalty range.

The 2021 inspection of this Arc Thrift Stores location revealed a troubling pattern of recurring electrical and logistical hazards that signal a breakdown in safety management systems. The most significant finding is the Repeat violation of 1910.303(g)(1)(ii), which carries a $19,500 penalty—more than six times the average fine for similar standards in the used merchandise sector. This classification indicates that management was previously cited for failing to maintain required clearance around electrical equipment but failed to implement a sustainable corrective action plan. In a high-turnover retail environment, such a failure typically points to a lack of effective employee training regarding back-of-house storage practices and a failure of internal auditing to identify blocked panels. Furthermore, the simultaneous citation of 1910.146(c)(2) regarding permit-required confined spaces suggests that workers were potentially exposed to unrecognized atmospheric or physical hazards without the necessary warning signage or entry controls. When combined with the 1910.37 exit route obstruction and 1910.305 flexible cord violations, a systemic profile emerges: the facility prioritized inventory volume and processing speed over fundamental life safety egress and fire prevention protocols. The $30,000 total penalty is exceptionally high for NAICS 453310, reflecting OSHA’s intent to penalize the recidivism of the electrical hazards and the potential for catastrophic injury in the event of a fire or restricted emergency exit.