Planning to hit next week’s Black Friday sales? Hoping to avoid being trampled like a Pamplona encierro? Luckily for you, our Department of Labor has come to your rescue. OSHA has release a fact sheet on Crowd Control Safety Tips For Retailers [PDF]. According to the Fact Sheet:
OSHA has prepared these guidelines to help employers and store owners avoid injuries during the holiday shopping season, or other events where large crowds may gather.
OSHA’s tips include:
- Having trained security personnel or police officers on site.
- Setting up barricades or rope lines for pedestrians and crowd control well in advance of customers arriving at the store.
- Making sure that barricades are set up so that the customers’ line does not start right at the entrance of the store.
- Preparing an emergency plan that addresses potential dangers.
- Having security personnel or customer service representatives explain approach and entrance procedures to the arriving public.
- Not allowing additional customers to enter the store when it reaches its maximum occupancy level and not blocking or locking exit doors.
Hopefully management of the store you’re visiting for that $99 HDTV looks at OSHA’s website. Happy and safe shopping.
Presented by Kohrman Jackson & Krantz, with offices in Cleveland and Columbus. For more information, contact Jon Hyman, a partner in our Labor & Employment group, at (216) 736-7226 or jth@kjk.com.