Going shopping rarely strikes anyone as a potentially dangerous activity. Shop accidents are, however, surprisingly common. The most common retail accidents leading to shoppers or shop employees sustaining personal injuries are centred on incidents involving slips, trips and falls.
According to the HSE the workplace injury rate is higher than average in the wholesale/ retail sector, this could be attributed to poor house keeping or a lack of knowledge when it comes to putting in place the correct policies and procedures. Click the HSE link above for some interesting facts and figures.
The H&S procedures that are required to help manage and maintain a safer working environment are as follows:
• Fire Risk Assessment
• System for identifying required training of employees (e.g. fire safety, mobility evac, use of any specific work equipment), delivery, documentation and revision of training.
• Policy and arrangements for use of agency workers, temps and part time employees (including specific assessments for young persons under 18)
• A safe shop. Meaning a system for regular inspection of displays, fixtures, fittings, mirrors, daily housekeeping – Preventing slips, trips and falls.
• Policy and procedure for security, cash handling and lone working.
• Risk assessment for collections/ deliveries and movement of stock (manual handling, use of knives, use of steps/ ladders)
• Risk assessment for any creative activities and specific customer events.
• Coordination of H&S arrangements in shared premises/ other units.
• Safe standards of working carried out by any sub-contractors (e.g. your cleaners/ gardeners etc).
• First aid needs assessment.
If you are unsure where to start or need help developing risk assessments, writing policies etc. Safewell provides a professional H&S consultancy service, be it a one off visit or an ongoing retained service. We can help.
