According to the British Retailers Consortium Crime Survey 2007-08, violence and verbal attacks on staff working in the retail sector is escalating. Figures show that one shop worker is attacked or threatened every minute of the shopping day.

The survey goes on to state that, “The retail sector experiences the impact of anti-social and yobbish behaviour first hand. Operating at the heart of every community, whether a local convenience store or an out-of-town supermarket, retailers are targets for organised gangs, persistent drug-fuelled criminals and those who are simply bent on causing trouble and hardship to others.”

Extended trading hours have increased the exposure to risk. Reduced staffing levels for late-night trading and problems with drunken customers make things even worse. Opening and closing of stores is identified as particularly risky times from reports of incidents. Closing a store late at night is much worse than closing in the early evening. It also means that night shift staff such as shelf fillers have to travel to or from work at later hours when access to public transport or even use of their own cars may be more risky.

Who’s at risk?

• Service Stations – 24-hour operation of petrol filling stations, often a lone worker environment where attendant is required to sell other goods heightens the risk of robbery.
• Off Licenses – late night operation targeted for theft of alcohol and cigarettes.
• Local Convenience Stores – open late at night, often with staff working alone.
• Estate Agents – regularly meeting strangers to visit empty properties.
• Distribution and Logistics – lone drivers carrying valuable goods are vulnerable both during transit and when collecting and dropping off goods at stores and depots.
• Supermarkets and Department Stores – lone workers are vulnerable when opening and closing branches especially at night and when responding to alarm activations.
• 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.
• Jewellers and Desirable Goods – jewellery and high value goods such as electrical items are at risk of being targeted for robbery.

Reliance Protect Benefits

• Adopting Reliance Protect helps to ensure that employers are meeting their duty of care to lone working staff.
• Lone working staff can safely and discreetly raise an alarm without putting themselves at further risk of attack.
• An open voice channel opens once an alarm is activated allowing the recording of verbal and physical abuse which can be used in court proceedings.
• Reliance promotes the use of devices worn about the worker to enable the alarm to be raised wherever an attack takes place – opening closing stores, on the shop floor or storeroom or even when travelling to work. Panic buttons and fitted alarms are of little use if the worker cannot access them.

For more information, e-mail us at info@relitech.co.uk