Retail Safety Tips for the Holidays

It might seem hard to believe, but the holiday shopping season is officially upon us. Across the country, retail stores are gearing up for this extremely busy time of year. For the 2018 holiday season, some forecasters say there will be a 5 to 5.6 percent increase in sales over the 2017 shopping season, including a projected 17 to 22 percent increase in e-commerce sales. Price Waterhouse Cooper predicts that consumers will spend over $1,250 during the holiday season, while the National Retail Federation is a bit more conservative, saying consumers will spend right around $1,000 this holiday season, an increase of 4.1 percent over 2017.

No matter the exact number, it is looking to be a very busy holiday season for retailers. With the predicted increase in sales, retail teams at brick-and-mortar locations must start preparing their stores now for additional traffic. Part of that preparation is to make sure the store is safe for both employees and customers.

Holiday Safety Tips for Retail Locations

Increased in-store traffic means more possibilities for individuals getting injured as they browse items or stock shelves during the busy holiday season. Stores should minimize any potential hazards to help reduce the risks for costly injuries, illnesses and potential losses.

Employees should be trained on keeping the store floor as clear as possible as boxes, merchandise and ladders can become hazards. New and inexperienced employees are at highest risk of injury. Make sure training programs are rigorous and fully indoctrinate all new workers. Assign a qualified, experienced mentor to each new hire so they can be shown the right way to do things and they have a person they can readily go to if they have questions or face a task or hazard they are unsure about.

Other tips to help keep a store safe this holiday season include:

• Don’t block fire extinguishers: Make sure there is a clear path to fire extinguishers. Also, boxes or decorations should not block ceiling sprinklers.
• Keep emergency exits clear: Emergency exits must always be clear of boxes, furniture or other stored items.
• Indicate when floors are wet: Use wet floor signs to help prevent slips and falls on a slick floor. Make sure the hazard is properly cleaned up per spill clean-up policies. This is especially important during snowy months when customers are tracking snow into the store.
• Use ladders properly: Falls from portable ladders are a major source of injury in the workplace. In fact, according to the American Ladder Institute, over 300 people die each year in ladder-related accidents, while thousands of others suffer disabling injuries. Train your staff on how to use ladders in the right way, from carrying them throughout the store, placing them in clear spaces, correct climbing tips and the correct storage procedure.
• Follow lifting safety procedures: Back injuries can occur when you do not lift boxes and heavy items in the correct way. Employees should learn how to properly lift heavy objects to help avoid injuries and back strain, which could result in a workers’ compensation claim. Establish weight and size limits for merchandise that trigger a mandatory two-person lift. Make sure carts and dollies are used to their potential.
• Set merchandise racks correctly: Merchandise racks should be spaced according to federal and state rules. Also, do not leave empty merchandise stands on the sales floor where customers can easily trip or walk into them causing injury.
• Prevent employee theft: Employee theft increases during the holiday season. Retails stores can help deter employee theft by having the proper on boarding procedures, performing background checks on employees, conducting loss prevention training, have working security cameras and enforcing company loss prevention protocols.

Outdoors Safety Tips for Retail

Just as the inside of a store needs to be safe for employees and customers, the outside of the store needs to be prepared and ready for high traffic and the possibility of inclement winter weather. Parking lots, entryways, sidewalks and walkways must be clear of snow and ice at all times, especially during business hours. Additionally, remember that snow piles, while also dangerous, can prevent customers from coming into your store. Businesses should have de-icing products like salt on hand to remove ice or snow. Clearing snow and ice outside will help prevent some of the slips and falls that lead to injuries for both your customers and your valued employees.

Loss Control and Commercial Property Protection at AmTrust

Safety, especially during the hectic holiday shopping season, starts with knowledge. Having the right safety resources and commercial property protection are keys to a successful holiday season. AmTrust’s Loss Control Department can give you the individual attention you deserve, identifying specific hazards and offering solutions that fit your operation. We are dedicated to providing the right recommendations and resources necessary to create an effective loss prevention program for your store. Please contact us to learn more.

 Article Source:  https://amtrustfinancial.com/blog/loss-control/retail-safety-tips-for-the-holidays

Cybersecurity Checklist for the Holiday Season

The National Retail Federation is predicting holiday retail sales to reach $717.45 billion to $720.89 billion this year. With the sheer volume of transactions set to take place for retail operations (both online and at brick-and-mortar stores), now is a good time to make sure your small business has a well-defined cybersecurity plan in place. Here’s a handy checklist to consider when assessing your cybersecurity measures for the upcoming holiday shopping season.

Small Business Cybersecurity Tips for a Safe & Successful Holiday Season

Secure Your Employees

All employees should be trained on the importance and methods of data security. Both physical and digital records should be safeguarded at all times, and confidential information about clients, employees or corporate affairs should always remain secured. Hackers like to target uninformed employees, so in terms of personnel, keep in mind your security is only as strong as your weakest link. This time of year serves as a great opportunity to re-distribute your data security policies to employees to reinforce its importance.

Perform background checks on new employees hired for the holiday season. Additionally, ensure each employee only has access to data related to their role and responsibility, especially for seasonal employees.

Secure Your Network

Passwords: Creating a strong password creates a better defense against cyberattacks. Remember these tips for creating strong passwords:

• Don’t use the same password twice and change passwords frequently.
• Use a mix of characters including letters, numbers and symbols.
• Avoid sharing passwords.
• Don’t keep passwords written down near computers.
• Utilize a password manager.

For more information on creating strong passwords, check out our blog post, “5 Tips For Creating Strong, Secure Passwords to Protect Sensitive Data.”

Wi-Fi: Make sure your Wi-Fi network is secure by regularly changing its password. Also, do not allow your employees to use public, unsecured Wi-Fi networks while utilizing company-issued laptops and smartphones.

Secure Your Data

All data, whether on a personal device, computer, or server should be protected by proper encryption.

Keep a Watchful Eye on Your Systems

If a program acts up, it could simply be a software or hardware malfunction, but it could be something much worse. If malware is detected, or a user reports opening a suspicious file, don't take any chances. Assume that the malware has infected something, and don't stop investigating until you find out what, if anything, was breached. Keep anti-virus and anti-malware programs up-to-date.

Protect Your Organization with Cyber Liability Insurance

A Cyber Liability Insurance policy from AmTrust can help safeguard your company against financial loss from a cyber attack. Contact an AmTrust agent today to find out how you can benefit from a policy, and how to protect your organization from cybersecurity attacks and other data breach threats.


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