Small businesses get a variety of things from the holidays – additional staff to boost sales, more foot traffic, and celebratory decorations. In addition to these, they also get more customer slips, trips, and falls. Because of this, when you are getting your business prepared for the holidays, you want to prepare for safety as well.
Employees can also be affected by hazards during the holiday season, which can cause them more stress and impact their health as well as your business. It’s important that you do all you can to keep them safe and make sure they too are prepared for the approaching holiday.
Tips for Avoiding Holiday Accidents
Begin Planning Early
Most holiday shopping starts online — often the day after Thanksgiving. However based on the previous year’s trends, many consumers begin their holiday shopping before Halloween. This is a good opportunity to get your holiday plan in place which includes your inventory, staff and marketing. This also includes safeguarding your small business for anticipated holiday hazards. Ensure your employees are fully trained on safety before the holiday rush begins.
Falls, Slips and Trips
Trips, falls and slips are often a big cause of injury in both your customers and your employees.
Some hazards that are involved in slip, fall and trip injuries include:
● Broken surfaces or holes.
● Slippery surfaces like polished stone or gloss-finished tile.
● Walking surfaces that are uneven.
● Poorly lit or poorly marked walkway transitions.
● Poor drainage, spills and other wet surfaces.
● Slippery conditions because of ice, mud or water during severe weather.
Routine maintenance and inspection should be implemented in your safety program to protect employees and customers from falls.
Decorations
You can really make your workplace festive with some holiday decorations. However, although they are sparkly and twinkle, they also pose a risk. Be sure to inspect string lights since they can have bare wires and can result in electric shocks or fires. These often require the use of extension cords which can lead to someone falling or tripping. Always keep all cords hidden from foot traffic to prevent accidents. Keep extension cords away from water (including snow or rain) and never overload your electrical sockets.
In addition to ensuring your small business is as free from holiday hazards as possible, it’s also important to have business insurance policies in place (including commercial property insurance and general liability insurance). You can’t prevent every accident from happening, so you have to be prepared. By having these policies in place, you can make sure you are prepared financially as well.
