Retail
Violent and verbal attacks on staff working within the retail sector is currently escalating. The number of incidents reported have now reached their highest level in more than a decade.
The British Retailers Consortium Annual Crime Survey, released in October 2005, has highlighted that the most worrying trend ‘is a continuing growth in violence and verbal abuse directed towards retail staff’, and figures have shown that in the last five years physical abuse against staff working for retail organisations, both large and small, has risen by over 50%.
KEY WORKERS & THE RISKS:
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Petrol forecourt staff – 24 hour operation, a major lone worker environment, a trend towards these ‘shops’ selling convenience goods which is heightening the risk of robbery.
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Confectionary Tobacco and News (CTN) agent staff – open late at night, often working alone and often in remote areas.
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Keyholders – lone workers are most vulnerable when opening and closing stores, and when attending branches due to alarms activated during unsocial hours.
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Distribution / logistics staff – lone workers carrying valuable goods are vulnerable both during transit and when collecting/dropping off goods at premises (especially ‘dead drop offs’ during the night).
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Branch managers – lone workers are vulnerable when opening and closing branches, and when attending branches due to alarms activated during unsocial hours.
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Pharmacy staff – late night opening hours, often collection and disposal sites for drug user needle packs, store drugs, and are often located in vulnerable areas.
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Staff based in stores selling desirable goods – electrical/high-tech equipment, jewellery and alcohol are at risk of being targeted for robbery.
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Field based engineers – those visiting premises for installation, maintenance work, fault evaluation and repairs are at risk of abuse and accident while at work.
Implications for employers who do not protect vulnerable lone working staff
In January 2003 a retail worker from Edinburgh was awarded £179,000 from her employers following a violent attack by a robber while working alone. This sum was a culmination of damages including injury to feelings, past and future loss of earnings and loss of pension. This was because the retail owner had neglected to reasonably ensure the safety of the lone worker. To read the full court preceedings, click onto the following link: www.scotcourts.gov.uk/opinions/a3333_01.html
Identicom Solution
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Identicom helps to ensure that employers are meeting their ‘duty of care’ to their lone working staff.
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Identicom provides a means by which lone working staff can safely and discreetly raise an alarm without putting themselves at further risk of attack.
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The open voice channel created when an alarm is raised can be recorded and used as evidence of verbal and physical abuse in a court of law.
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This audio capture can support CCTV footage within or around the retail environment.
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As Identicom is worn by the user, it enables the lone worker to raise an alarm whether the incident takes place at the counter, in the stock room, when opening/closing stores, or when walking to and from cars, buses, etc. Fixed panic buttons and alarms under the counter are of no use if the worker cannot get access to them.
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A timer function on the Identicom device can be utilised to provide additional reassurance to workers and can automatically go into an alarm state if it is not manually closed down. Examples include keyholders initiating the timer before entering premises to deactivate alarms or opening/closing premises, distribution drivers initiating the timer before entering a depot to collect/drop off goods.
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GSM technology enables Identicom to operate whether indoors or outdoors and is not limited by distance from a receiving box, as per some fixed site building alarms.
