HEALTH Reminds Local Businesses About Black Friday Saftey

GoLocalProv News Team

HEALTH Reminds Local Businesses About Black Friday Saftey

With stores and consumers gearing up for the big Black Friday spending sprees, HEALTH would like to issue a reminder to local businesses to consult OSHA’s Crowd Management Safety Guidelines for Retailers. HEALTH’s OSHA Consultation Program has visited numerous employers to spread their knowledge about the dangers associated with crowd control management at these large events. HEALTH emphasizes proper training for employees who work these types of events and believes that an orderly and systematic approach is key.

In the past years, stories have been spread about riotous activities in large stores. This is not only a problem found in larger retailers like Walmart but in “big box” stores as well. Smaller retailers in Rhode Island have begun to participate in Black Friday events over the past several years. Many of these smaller retailers lack the adequate training and knowledge on how to handle large crowds and don’t have the correct security measures and crowd control plans in place.

According to the OSHA’s Crowd Management Safety Guidelines, crowd management plans should, at a minimum, include:

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  • On-site trained security personnel or police officers;
  • Barricades or rope lines for pedestrians that do not start right in front of the store's entrance;
  • The implementation of crowd control measures well in advance of customers arriving at the store;
  • Emergency procedures in place to address potential dangers;
  • Methods for explaining approach and entrance procedures to the arriving public;
  • Not allowing additional customers to enter the store when it reaches its maximum occupancy level;
  • Not blocking or locking exit doors.
     

For more information and a copy of the Guidelines visit www.osha.gov or call HEALTH’s OSHA Consultation Program at (401) 222-7745.


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