Unseen Threats:

Many responsibilities come along with running a brick and mortar establishment. Aside from handling rent, staff, layout, design and product merchandising, it is imperative that business owners pay attention to safety precautions that will keep both staff and patrons safe at all times. Unfortunately, safety issues sometimes elude us and remain an unseen threat in the environment. Today, we have a look at issues to be aware of within your brick and mortar business. If you are a business owner who is looking to eliminate unseen threats in your business, read on to find out more!

1. Pay Attention to Gas and Electricity

Gas and electricity form the backbone of any brick and mortar store. Without either, you wouldn’t be able to run your business on a daily basis. However, poorly connected electrical lines or unmaintained gas pipes can prove to be a huge threat to your business. If you happen to have frayed electrical lines or a gas leak, you could very well start a fire that may set your store ablaze. In order to prevent this from happening, business owners need to consult with electricians and gas fitters in Melbourne on a routine basis. Getting the professionals in to check that all is well in terms of your gas and electrical fittings is essential in preserving the safety of not just your store, but also your employees and customers.

2. Don’t Block Sprinklers or Extinguishers

By law, all brick and mortar stores are required to have sprinklers installed as well as carefully positioned fire extinguishers that will make it easy for staff to locate and use in lieu of an emergency. This is why business owners should ensure that sprinklers and extinguishers are never blocked by objects, products or signs. What is the use of these precautions if they are unreachable during an emergency? You don’t want to have your employees climbing over mountains of boxes to get to a fire extinguisher if they need it, just as sprinklers cannot do their job if things are in the way. Take some time to assess your store and check that neither your sprinklers not extinguishers are blocked from easy access.

3. Check On Your Air Filters

One thing that many people often neglect or forget about are air filters. The job of an air filter in your brick and mortar store is to circulate clean air in your premises to maintain a healthy and safe environment for your staff and customers. Air filters can assist in controlling temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide levels in your store. However, if your air filters are neglected, they may pose more of a threat than a benefit to your brick and mortar store. Filters that are not cleaned or maintained may not be able to vent out mold, fungus and bacteria from your air, thus possibly allowing them into your store and causing employees and patrons to fall sick.

4. Pay Attention To Storage and Shelving

Whilst it may be tempting to stack boxes and boxes of items in your stockroom, it is important that you do so in a safe manner. Boxes or items that are improperly stored could possible fall and land on your employees, causing them to get injured - something you certainly want to avoid at all costs. The way you shelve your products in your storefront is also important, as products that are overcrowded, cramped or simply not displayed correctly could pose a threat to your customers if they fall off a shelf and hit someone.

5. Workplace Bullying

Last but not least - workplace bullying. Workplace bullying may not have been something that you would have expected to find on this list, but it certainly is an unseen threat in the workplace that can affect the morale and spirit of your employees. If workplace bullying is occurring amongst your staff and certain employees are being picked on, humiliated or degraded, you can be sure that you’ll start losing staff members and perhaps even find yourself in the middle of a messy lawsuit. This is why it is so important to regularly collect employee feedback and take the time to talk to your staff should they be experiencing any issues at work. A happy employee is a key factor in the success of a business, so paying attention to your staff and their wellbeing is essential.

_________

Paying attention to the less obvious dangers within your establishment is imperative in keeping your employees and customers safe. We hope that this article has given you some insight into some of the unseen threats that may exist in your brick and mortar business.