The health and safety procedures that the majority of retail businesses have in place will look to help people avoid some very obvious and generic hazards. Trip hazards, lighting and the stacking of stock are likely to be at the top of any list, with other hazards being focussed on far less intensely.
However, there is one hazard that is often overlooked, and whilst the movement and handling of stock is something that very much needs to be addressed it very rarely is.
Risk assessments rarely uncover such risks as such assessments are usually carried out in a stationary environment. In turn, the risks involved in carrying items and getting them safely from A to B are often considered far less important than they really are.
Many businesses should actually consider using material handling equipment, and not only might there be specific tools available to help staff retrieve items safely and easily, but even the movement of stock from one place to another will be important to get right.
Those businesses that deal in items such as clothing may feel that they have no use for such equipment when the items they sell are so small and light. However, no matter how small and light an individual object is, when moved en masse, the impact can be far greater and not only will having dedicated trolleys to move items make the act safer and easier, but it will also save staff time and ensure that they can get far more done in a shorter space of time.
No matter what the size of the business, such equipment will be integral. For larger companies, larger loads will need to be moved whilst, for smaller businesses, the need to avoid injury will be even higher, as one individual needing time off could seriously reduce the chances of a business succeeding.