Minimising the risk to staff.

(From Off Licence News)

Q I'm due to open an off-licence on the edge of a city centre next month, in an area that has had past problems with robbery. What procedures can I put in place to protect staff? A The Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw) has a set of guidelines to promote shop worker safety. It says employers should ensure that they have a system for reporting all incidents, including threats or intimidation and incidents which are work-related but happen outside work, for example, when travelling to or from work. Usdaw advises: laaRetailing employers' risk assessments, required under health and safety law, should cover the issue of violence. Where late working causes particular problems, the risk assessment should recognise this laaEmployers should provide well-lit access to stores for staff who are opening or closing, or who have to enter or leave the store during the night. laaCar parks should be well lit at all times that staff are expected to use them. Where possible, night staff should be allowed to park where there is easy access to the store and where their cars can be monitored by security staff. Bushes, shrubs and other obstructions which may provide a hiding place for assailants should be removed laaIf there are problems with public transport for night staff or staff who finish late then the employer should lay on transport. laaIn high-risk areas, arrangements should be made to make sure individual workers are not expected to open or close stores on their own. Staff who have to leave the store during the night should be escorted to their transport home. Staff who are expected to open or close stores should ...