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The festive season is renowned for being a stressful time for retailers, who may argue that it’s not the “most wonderful time of the year”.
With shops valiantly trying to meet greater demand, show off their wares and put up the best displays, it is easy to see how health and safety is often forgotten about – at a time when it should be the forefront of all retailers’ minds.
Additional risk comes into play with high levels of stock, bad weather, harassed staff and more customers than any other time of the year.
So, what can shopkeepers do to minimise risk and how can Acorn Safety Services help?
Acorn Safety Services has carried out surveys in approximately 230 stores this year, including 140 branches of a beauty company, shops for a well-known shoe company, and outlets for a gaming retailer.
So, we’re well qualified to help retailers welcome shoppers with confidence this festive season.
Assess the risk
With higher footfall and higher demand also comes higher risk. Consider where problems may occur – are you likely to have two customers fighting over the final turkey on the shelves or the last jacket for a tenner? Or is it more likely that your mountains of stock could be a fire risk?
It is vital to undertake a thorough risk assessment of all areas before you open the doors to the Christmas rush.
And remember you’re not just considering the safety of your customers but also of your staff who are likely to be doing long shifts which require them to be on their feet all day and lifting goods.
Acorn Safety Services can assist you in fire risk assessments – think Christmas tree lights and additional plug sockets – as well as health and safety risk assessments and policies, which cover both general safety and emergency procedures.
Be well prepared
Prevention is better than cure. Ensure your staff are suitably trained in health and safety and fire prevention so they will spot any potential seasonal hazards.
Signage and barriers should be used if bad weather causes wet floors and systems should be in place for crowd management.
There needs to be a shared plan for the safety of any extra electrical devices and someone responsible for switching off any festive lights at the end of each day.
Seasonal displays should be monitored regularly for structure safety, and all staff need to be well versed in the emergency evacuation plan.
Appoint a dedicated first aider for every shift, so that if any of your customers literally shop until they drop or hardworking staff need assistance, you have someone on hand with the knowledge and skills to help.
For more information on how Acorn Safety Services could help you and your business, visit https://acornhealthandsafety.co.uk/ or call one of our advisors today on 01604 930380.
