BIG LOTS STORES INC

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, BIG LOTS STORES INC — a retail trade facility located at 233C WEST MERCURY BLVD., HAMPTON, VA 23669 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 19 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $48,055.00. The inspection case was opened on 2014-09-12.

The volume of citations issued during this inspection suggests systematic compliance deficiencies rather than isolated incidents. Facilities with 10 or more citations typically face comprehensive abatement requirements and may be subject to follow-up inspections.

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 $48,055.00 is more than 7.4× the national average of $6,467.77 for facilities in the Retail sector (NAICS 452990). This sector encompasses 10,854 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $70.2M.

State Context: Within VA, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 62,574 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $2,237.86.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 19 citations spanning 5 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 15 serious — A workplace hazard that could cause death or serious physical harm exists, and the employer knew or should have known about the condition.

Enforcement Timeline: Citations were issued beginning June 5, 2014 with the latest abatement deadline set for October 28, 2014. Of the 19 total citations, 14 (74%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, suggesting partial progress toward required corrective actions.

Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $48,055.00 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 $2,529.21 falls within the standard penalty range.

The enforcement record for this Big Lots location reveals a systemic failure in fundamental life safety and materials management protocols