BIG LOTS STORES, INC.
According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, BIG LOTS STORES, INC. — a retail trade facility located at 501 MONTAUK HIGHWAY, WEST BABYLON, NY 11704 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 10 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $110,000.00. The inspection case was opened on 2013-05-15.
Cumulative penalties significantly exceed the national median for OSHA enforcement actions. The penalty amount suggests multiple high-gravity citations, indicating conditions that presented a substantial probability of death or serious physical harm to employees.
Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $110,000.00 is more than 17.0× 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 NY, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 140,736 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $2,208.33.
Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 10 citations spanning 5 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 7 serious — A workplace hazard that could cause death or serious physical harm exists, and the employer knew or should have known about the condition. 3 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 November 15, 2013 with the latest abatement deadline set for December 5, 2013. Of the 10 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 $110,000.00 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 $11,000.00 falls within the standard penalty range.
The enforcement action at this West Babylon location underscores a systemic failure in warehouse management and life safety protocols common