As a business owner, you are solely responsible for all activities that happen at your premises. As such, it is your responsibility to maintain the safest working conditions possible for your entire workforce and people who comes visiting. According to the Healthy and safety Executive (HSE), work-related violence refer to all incidents in which people are abused, assaulted or threatened in situations that are related to their work place. This also includes any violence that is directed to visitors, including customers that come visiting your business premises. This can include threats such as verbal abuse and physical assaults.
Violence in your business premises should not be blindsided
While such incidents are largely not focused on by business owners, saying they don’t warrant their attention, it is recommended that every business organization be aware of workplace-related violence and take appropriate action when need be. Licensed retail businesses arguably are at more risk, however, all business organizations regardless of their sector or size must realize that workplace-related violence can happen at any time.
Business owners must take initiatives such as hiring the services of expert security personal to regularly patrol their premises with an aim to prevent incidents such as work-related violence, and much more. In this regard, security guard and patrol services in Montreal aim to keep workplace-related violence at bay.
Security threats caused by lighting and layout issues
In retail settings, it is critical to consider all blind spots, cash tills and inappropriately designed counters as well as poor floor layouts as these can decrease the visibility of both customers and staff members alike. As a result, possible criminals feel less observed or more anonymous, something that significantly increases theft or violence chances. As such, retail business owners are recommended to ensure that their employees and customers alike can be seen at all times.
One of the best ways to increase visibility in a retail business setting is to have high and wide counters along with plenty of mirrors. With these, all concealed spots in your premises can easily be seen. And while at it, have your security guards stop any buildup of queues or huge crowds so as to help manage the way people are moving and looking around the store’s floor. This approach might even help to increase your sales, something that should be considered as is a positive effect of implementing effective layout changes.
Apart from implementing effective crowd control methods, there is also a need to pay attention to your floor lighting layout. Dull interiors are a big put off to people intending to shop in or visit your business premises and for a good reason. Badly lighted interiors often make clients harder to spot, something that significantly encourage offenders to commit crimes such as mugging. Sufficient lighting enables the management or even the floor security guards to spot aggressive behavior, and thereby being able to guarantee the safety of all around.
Other preventive security systems and measures to opt for
Apart from having professional security guards patrolling the floor of your retail business or even the entire premises, it is highly advisable to implement a few extra preventive security systems and measures. These include:
Security devices
Things such as high security locks and burglar alarms are known to significantly decrease the risk of work-related violence. Remember, false alarms are both upsetting and scaring to all around your business premises, including the customers. As such, make certain that your employees are fully trained on how to work the locks or alarm systems should it go off.
Surveillance cameras
Without comprehensive surveillance, for instance using CCTV systems or cameras, potential offenders are given a leeway to commit violence. So make sure to have these systems installed at your place. Best of all, CCTV systems work as excellent deterrent and can easily identify criminals while making customers and staff feel safer.
