The dangerous world of retail

See what the employee hand book says about these potential pitfalls:

Robbery
In the event of a robbery there is nothing more important than the safety of the employees and customers. Remain calm and comply in order to avoid any acts of aggression. Try to remember as many details about the assailant and incident as possible. Something that may seem irrelevant might lead to the criminal’s capture.

Bio Hazard
It is possible to come in contact with biological elements that may put workers at risk like blood or bodily fluids. Suspicious spills should be attended to with gloves and disposed of properly where no one will accidently come in contact with it.

Broken items
With the traffic flow of the retail business it’s inevitable that things will get broken from time to time. Employees should always inspect packages for potentially sharp pieces before reaching into boxes. Broken pieces should be disposed of in solid containers instead of bags so unaware coworkers are not injured by shards sticking out. Find out what to do if a compact fluorescent light bulb breaks.

Weather
One thing that’s certain is the weather’s not certain. From flooding, earthquakes, and hurricanes to tornadoes and blizzards employees need to know what to do in the case of inclement weather. If there is a power outage, make sure to secure the register and assist customers in exiting safely.

Fire
Determine the company policy for procedures during a fire before one starts. All employees should be aware of fire exits and escape plans. Stores should be equipped with smoke alarms ad fire extinguishers. The safety of the people in the store always comes first. A good way to ensure this is with a trial run, at the next store meeting have a fire drill.

Lifting
Bend with the knees not with the back rings like a chorus in stock rooms everywhere and there is a reason. Improper lifting can be dangerous. It’s easier than imagine to sustain a back injury from trying to tote something too heavy so proper precautions should be taken. It’s going to be a work out, stretch first. Back braces are a must for folks who hoist a lot of heavy objects consistently.

Repetitive motion
Most employees aren’t aware of a repetitive motion injury until it’s too late. Anyone who works on a keyboard or performs rout movements, like scooping ice cream, is prone to carpal tunnel syndrome. OSHA (Occupation Safety and Health Administration) has guidelines set to avoid repetitive motion repercussions depending on job field. There are also braces and exercises that can help prevent and control these types of injuries.

By Heather Fairchild - Heather is amultimedia developer, business owner, and work-from-home mom.