Health & Safety in the Retail Environment

Table of Contents

Introduction.........................................................................................................................2

Areas of concern ...................................................................................................................2

Awareness ...........................................................................................................................2

Training ..............................................................................................................................2

Glossary ..............................................................................................................................3

References ..........................................................................................................................3
Introduction

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the retail sector employs approximately 3 million people in
the UK (HSE, 2013). ‘Retail’ is a sub sector of the service sector. Despite the fact that a high percentage of the
UK economy; and indeed the economies of most major industrialised countries is made up of service sector
organisations, serious safety implications within this sector are often seen as minimal (Peterson Institute for
International Economics, 2011). With so many people employed within sub sections of the service sector; such
as retail, this paper will identify a few key safety topics for further thought. In doing so one main area will be
selected for further discussion.

Areas of concern

Interesting, the retail sector does possess some shared areas of concern, as well as some fairly unique hazards.
For example, manual handling tasks and slips, trips, and falls. Workplace transport, and in particular, the risk of
violence is somewhat unique, or at the very least requires a heightened awareness for safety practitioners
working within retail. Retail work also encompasses an often overlooked task, normally associated with
construction or roof work, which is the requirement to work at height. In particular, the use of ladders can be
infrequent in retail, but the safe use of ladders is paramount due to the necessity to utilise a ladder, stepladder
or stool. Neglecting to ensure competence of staff to work at height; even in the retail sector, violates both the
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and the Working at Height Regulations 2005. According to Terry Flanagan,
Training Committee Chairman of the Ladder Association and Senior Trainer at HSS Training, “under the
regulations, every person in the chain leading up to; and including the final user, has a duty of care to both
themselves, and others to know and understand the practical implications of working safely at height”. These
facts can be lost on employers who may incorrectly feel their workplace possesses very low hazards for staff,
even before risk assessing the location.

Awareness

Awareness can be raised and employers can easily find out if working at height is part of their retail operations.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have developed a ‘shop’ risk assessment tool, available on the HSE
website; for what the HSE call small, low-risk shops. Risk assessments, for both small and large organisations are
crucial for the identification of working at height tasks.

Training

Training often becomes an essential link to minimising the risk following an initial risk assessment. Ladder
Association approved training providers are an invaluable source of knowledge and can get workers ‘up to speed’
via the delivery of training that is recognised across all industries.
The Ladder Association offer three distinct half day courses (The Ladder Association, 2012):

• Ladders and Stepladders

• Ladder and Stepladder Inspection
• Working with Steps and Stools

Selection of the appropriate course or courses will largely depend on the work being carried out, but the LA
range of courses will assist all staff in understanding what tool (i.e. ladder, stepladder or stool) is best for the
task at hand. Employers will be pleased by the fact that LA courses come with a photo identification card which
is easily checked online for compliance; furthermore, the certificates/photo cards are valid for 5 years.
Many will still question the need for Ladders training, nevertheless; the Ladder Association has witnessed a clear
shift in thinking, as the leading area for injuries and fatalities at work continues to be as a direct result of
working at height activities. A forty seven percent increase in individuals LA trained year on year from 2011 to
2012 demonstrates awareness is on the rise. (The Ladder Association, 2013). Don Aers, the Ladder Association’s
Technical Director, recently stated: “It is great to see that more people and organisations than ever are taking
the safety message onboard and understanding that there is a vital need for people who use ladders for their
work, to be trained and competent”. Sadly, according to the HSE (2005), on average 14 deaths and 1200 major
injuries occur when employees are using ladders and stepladders each year. Thus, more can be done to
highlight this important and safety critical area; especially in the retail sector.

© HSS Training 2013 2

Glossary

HSE – The Health and Safety Executive is United Kingdom’s independent watchkeeper and regulator for
occupational health, safety and illness. The aim of the HSE is to reduce work-related death and
serious injury.

References

HSE (2013). Health and safety in the retail industry. Available at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/retail/ (Accessed:
21 July 2013).

HSE (2005). Safe use of ladders and stepladders. Available at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg402.pdf
(Accessed: 25 July 2013).

Peterson Institute for International Economics (2011). Some Basic Facts about the Service Sector and Service
Trade. Available at: http://www.piie.com/publications/chapters_preview/6017/01iie6017.pdf
(Accessed: 23 July 2013).

The Ladder Association (2013). Ladder training up 47%. Available at:

http://ladderassociation.org.uk/public/laddertrainingincrease.jsp (Accessed: 11 July 2013).

The Ladder Association (2012). The Ladder Association progressing safety and best practice step by step.
Available at: http://ladderassociation.org.uk/public/blma-training.jsp (Accessed: 11 July 2013).

Article written by Chris Gearren – MSc Safety, Health and Environment

© HSS Training 2013 3