Lowe’s, the home improvement store retailer, has agreed to pay the federal government $90,000 and review three years of medical records for work-related injury claims at 24 southern and southwest Ohio stores, to settle complaints brought by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

OSHA accused Lowe’s Home Centers Inc. last year of “continually failing” to document and report employee injuries and illnesses, and proposed at that time to fine the company $110,000. In reaching the settlement, Lowe’s did not admit any violation of federal workplace safety law.

The complaints focused on problems at the Lowe’s store in Huber Heights, at 8421 Old Troy Pike, and a sister store in the Cincinnati suburb of Colerain Twp. The settlement states that those two stores are the priority sites for the corrective action, but that the review covers a total of 24 Lowe’s stores across the Dayton, Middletown, Hamilton, Cincinnati and Portsmouth areas that are under the jurisdiction of OSHA’s Cincinnati regional office.

Under its agreement with OSHA, Lowe’s has hired a consultant to review the medical records for 2008 through 2010 to determine which claims must legally be reported to OSHA. The agency is mandating reporting of details including whether accidents resulted in death, injury, time off work, or job transfers.

Lowe’s has until April 1, 2013, to complete the exhaustive review, according to its agreement with OSHA.

The government relies on records provided by employers to compile national workplace safety and health reports that chronicle accident trends.

Employers have a duty to provide workplaces that are free of recognized hazards and have a legal obligation to document, report and investigate accidents that result in injuries, said Tracy Miller, a University of Dayton business school lecturer in management and leadership.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2242 or jnolan@DaytonDailyNews.com.