The Christmas retailing season is right around the corner and those of us who’ve worked in this sector for a while know that it’s a hectic and tiring time. Unfortunately, these are two factors conducive to workplace injuries. Workplace safety may not be as glamorous a topic as marketing or strategic planning but its role in keeping your business healthy can’t be underestimated.
If a member of your team becomes hurt, it’s sad on a personal level because you care about them. It’s also a negative for your business since it leaves the team short staffed for potentially long periods of time. You’ll be especially vulnerable at Christmas because the pace of the season’s demands means injuries are more likely. Being short staffed at this hectic time can make meeting your sales objectives more difficult because customers won’t get the benefit of your full service capabilities. Keeping your team safe is crucial to keeping your business safe.
While workplace safety may seem to be a complicated subject, it’s not necessary to hire consultants or high priced experts to establish a program. The best starting point is to list each position in your company. For each role, assess the job for its exposure to risk. Does the position require lifting? Could this person be exposed to harmful chemicals as they perform their job? Do they work with equipment that could injure them? Once all of the risks have been identified, make sure that the appropriate procedures
and equipment are in place
to prevent injury. The Work-place Safety and Insurance Board website (wsib.on.ca) has many wonderful tools to help businesses complete a self audit of their safety policies but here are a few key areas to focus on.
Physical Safety:
In the province of Ontario, muscular/skeletal disorders (MSD) represent 42 per cent of all lost time claims and lost time claim costs. They also represent 50 per cent of all lost time days. Causes of MSD pain usually arise from poor body mechanics, sustained or poor postures, forceful exertions, stressful working and living habits and loss of flexibility and physical fitness. Good body mechanics can be based upon a few key principles: keep weight close to the body, maintain the spine’s neutral curves and reduce spinal twisting.
Remind your team members to keep the loads they’re lifting close to the body as it reduces the load by a factor of 10. In other words, 10 pounds becomes 100 pounds on the back when it’s held at arm’s length. Also encourage your team to test the load prior to the lift and to plan their path. They need to keep the area clear, keep feet hip width apart and use legs and hips (not the back) to complete the lift. Make sure everyone lifts with a firm grip, head up and shoulders back, using a smooth lifting action and to communicate with a partner when lifting together. The most important thing to keep in mind when lifting is to reduce spinal twisting. This can be done by ensuring that the feet are pointed in the direction you will be moving. It may seem more efficient to lift a box then twist to place it on a shelf but turning one’s feet along with the direction of the hands really won’t add time to the process.
Your floral designers may also be at risk of injuring themselves when they spend long hours on their feet. This puts a lot of strain on the back and poor posture can exacerbate back problems. Prolonged standing tires the muscles in the hips, lower back and abdomen. The trick is to keep knees flexed but not locked in place. Make sure you remind your team members to move around regularly and to stretch. A small stool or old phone book under the workbench will provide an ideal resting place for one foot – alleviating some strain on the lower back.
It’s also important to train your employees to work safe, even when they’re on the phone. On those busy days when the phone won’t stop ringing off the hook, it may be tempting to cradle the receiver against one’s shoulder while taking orders, but this position can be very stressful on the neck. Instead, use the non-dominant hand to hold the phone or use a hands-free feature on the phone so you can write and listen at the same time.
Designing Safely:
Floral designing and arranging will put your team in contact with a variety of tools and chemicals. Make sure that your employees handle knives and cutting tools safely to prevent injury. Store sharp tools in a knife block or a special drawer so your designers know exactly where to find and store them. This also reduces the chance of anyone accidentally cutting themselves. When using hot glue guns, place it on a heat-resistant tray and near an electrical outlet. Try to avoid dragging cords across the back room as employees could trip and potentially burn themselves. Remind your designers to unplug the glue gun as soon as they’re finished with it.
When working with wire in floral arrangements, use leather gloves and avoid using wire cutters with broken or loose handles. Chemical safety is also something you need to be aware of.
Use spray paints and aerosols outside of your operation and review the meaning of the symbols found on hazardous chemicals. Make sure employees follow the instructions on the label and in the corresponding Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for each chemical product such as fertilizers, pesticides or plant foods. Make sure each employee has protective clothing such as neoprene gloves, rubber boots, shoe covers, rubber aprons and protective eyewear when they’re handling any chemicals labelled as poisonous. Ensure that you state in your materials handling policy that employees are not to use chemicals from unlabelled containers.
Personal Safety:
Armed robberies typically become more prevalent as economic conditions become more challenging and retail operations are prime targets. While you don’t want to frighten your team members – it can be very comforting to have a procedure to follow if there is a robbery. Make it clear to your staff as to how much cash should be in the cash register at all times. A maximum one hundred dollar floater is usually sufficient to begin a shift. If an armed robbery occurs, make it clear to your team that their safety comes first and that they shouldn’t even consider any heroics. Post the phone numbers for police, ambulance, yourself and a responsible alternate who can get there quickly, if needed.
By implementing a work-place safety program, you’ll automatically decrease your chances of an injury. Safety is defined as the freedom from danger, risk, or injury. The key word here is “freedom” – freedom to focus on growing your business and most importantly, enjoying your business.
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