Nothing can affect a c-store owner’s business like injuries sustained on the job. Not only do convenience store slip and fall accidents leave you short of help, but you could also face litigation if the victim decides to take legal action. There are close to 16 million workplace fall injuries each year. The best way to avoid this is a four-prong attack. You need training, video surveillance, operational audits, and a daily commitment to your safety program. These four methods will work together to protect your workers and your business by highlighting the importance of safety and best operational practices.
Educate Employees to Decrease Slip and Fall Incidents
Convenience store employees are often in a rush which invites errors. They wear many hats from cashier, stocker, to restroom attendant. Workers are keenly aware that seamlessly moving from role to role will result in positive customer interaction and an increased probability of repeat business. And from the c-store owner’s standpoint staff are expected to perform these activities with speed and accuracy for maximum store efficiency. As a result, this hurry-up mentality can cause slip and fall accidents and even serious injury to staff as well as customers.
Another cause of workplace accidents is a slippery or blocked walkway. Routine housekeeping is as important as developing a safety-first mentality and should not be overlooked. Regular cleanliness checks should be part of your staff’s daily duties. As the sports adage states: “the best offense is a good defense.” In terms of running a c-store, training all employees upon hire and at regular intervals is your best defense against damaging slip and fall accidents sidelining your team, or injuring customers.
To start, initiate a thorough and accessible safety training plan to protect your business so employees are aware of your expectations. This preemptive measure is a great foundational strategy in preventing slip and fall accidents. If you are unsure where to begin, then conduct some online research. There are many companies that specialize in this unique service. It is vital that employees participate in all safety training programs and acknowledge their understanding of your convenience store’s policies, usually by signing and dating a training document. This prevents any confusion or misinterpretation of your expectations.
Use a Managed Video Solution as a Training Aid
Most convenience stores invest in a video surveillance system for site security and theft prevention. This system can also easily become a training resource in reviewing employee safety regulations. Leverage integrated video surveillance to demonstrate proper safety etiquette to employees. To maximize your training costs, extract video clips of correct operational behavior. Studies show that video is a powerful learning tool. People tend to recall visual teaching aids more readily than written documentation alone. Using a managed video solution can also mitigate another point of profit loss resulting from workplace injury: lost workdays.
The U.S. Department of Labor and Statistics has determined that “25% of all reported injury claims are due to slip and falls, resulting in 95 million lost workdays per year.” (Enjuris)
Perform Operational Audits to Test the Safety Measures in Place
Creating an engaging training plan which includes managed video will result in higher attention given to safety in the workplace and therefore decrease injury occurrences. But, how do you know if your plan is working? Perform an operational audit! Audits are the best way to determine if your injury prevention techniques are effective. Use an integrated audit program like Envysion’s operations audit to test your injury prevention plan. Designed by industry experts, c-store specific audits will ensure compliance with a convenience store owners’ unique operational needs. Invest in a sound audit solution so your business is protected from careless accidents and costly reparations.
“Envysion gives us a comprehensive view into our store-level operations and unprecedented visibility into operational issues,” says Sunny Goyal, Chief Operating Officer of Au Energy.
Make safety a daily conversation
Safety training and observing good hygienic practices will result in decreased rates of slip and fall incidents in your c-store. But training is typically only performed upon hire and then on possibly an annual basis. How can you drive home the importance of safety and regular cleaning and maintenance on a more consistent basis? Simply discuss and practice the safety measures you’ve established for your convenience store. If you see a spill on the sales floor, then notify a staff member to clean it up immediately. If you witness a staff member incorrectly performing a job duty, give them feedback at that moment. Your attention to and demand for safety compliance will demonstrate the value you’ve placed on accident prevention and overall c-store cleanliness.
Preventing slip and fall accidents in your c-store does not have to be a daunting task. Set a plan, use integrated video for training, schedule regular operational audits, and put these guidelines into daily practice. These four steps will protect your business from accidents stemming from inattention to safety guidelines and position your store for success.
For more information on what Envysion can do for convenience store operators or owners, click here.