Should I feel unsafe at my job?

[symington]

As the only Manager at my job (a retail store), I am required to work 50 hours a week. About 40 of those being the only one there. As a female, I sometimes feel unsafe. People come and go all day long. The store's door chime that alerts you when someone enters/exits, is broken. I have asked my employer multiple times to fix this because I feel that it is a safety issue. The other day, a man walked in while I was busy with a task. I didn't realize he was in the store until he was 2 feet away from me. He really startled me, but turned out to just be a customer. I know that there is potential for someone to be dangerous. My employer didn't take me seriously when I mentioned this and it doesn't seem to be one of their top priorities to fix the door chime. Are there any complaints I can file or laws against lone female workers? Also, there is no corporate office to take this to since it is a small business.

[gideon]

file a complaint with OSHA. www.osha.gov

[leland]

Buy a bell at the dollar store. Tape it to the door. The door will make noise when it opens.

If it's a small store it shouldn't be hard at all to keep an eye on the door and a chime is unnecessary.