Is it incorrect for a company to claim that being inside a retail store for 40 hours per week during a pandemic is “safe”?

Stop asking questions as "anonymous". 

You get covid from CLOSE CONTACT.

within 6ft of someone for 15 or more minutes during a 24 hour period.

Frontline employees at retail stores usually do not have this kind of interaction from customers = so you are "safe" from customers.

Whether you are "safe" from co-workers it depends on the specific situation.

Be mindful that the grocery union in Los Angeles is complaining about how unsafe their situation is YET they have about 75% less covid cases than the general population.

In response to the comments:

a) About 70% of covid transmission occurs in the household where you aren't wearing masks or social distancing.

b) covid transmission from inanimate objects within the household where people are more apt to immediately touch their face / not wash hands, etc is about 1 in 10,000

c) covid transmission from inanimate objects outside the household is a very rare occurrence.

d) covid transmission is caused by respiratory droplets but you have to get enough viral load to cause an infection.

Almost all respiratory droplets fall to the floor within minutes.

The smaller droplets that don't, would still have to cause enough viral load.

Unless you are in a very small store, that is unlikely to happen.  Few stores are small enough for this to occur.

however, covid has always been a "if I take care of myself, I don't need to worry about others" illness.

FDA approved KN95 masks are cheap and long lasting.  You can get 20 at Amazon for $40 which will last you about 400 wears.

If you don't think that is enough, then feel free to add a cotton mask or face shield over it.

I always compliment workers who do this for understanding they have the power to take care of themselves.

Why would it be? If one follows the protocols it is as safe as anywhere else.

Go away Abrasux.