Protecting employees and customers
Employee safety has risen up the agenda of all retailers in recent years on the back of shocking levels of shoplifting and aggressive criminality in physical stores, which is leading to increased investment by retailers in technology and other solutions to reduce the risks to front-line staff.
Shopping malls and retail environments are now mirroring the increasingly pressured situations in other public spaces such as hospitals and schools/universities where growing levels of serious incidents are occurring.
People are becoming increasingly angry and impatient whether they are in a surgery waiting room at a patient level, or simply shopping in malls and hospitality venues, their fuses are becoming ever shorter. At completely the other end of the spectrum there is also the worrying trend of the lone wolf-type attackers looking for some sort of notoriety. The risk of major incidents in public places continues to increase sadly.
Against this troubling backdrop there is undoubtedly a growing level of responsibility on retailers to look after their employees as well as their customers. Whether it is the likes of Marks & Spencer or IKEA or smaller independents, do they feel they have a responsibility to look after the best interests of both their staff and the general public in case an incident happens? Of course, this is the case and much is being done – from the use of body-worn cameras to CCTV and other protective solutions – by many companies within the retail sector.
But more will need to be done by retailers and shopping centre owners/operators because of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, known as ‘Martyn’s Law’. This involves proposed legislation aimed at preventing and reducing the harm from terror attacks at venues and was a direct result of failures during the Manchester Arena bombing eight years ago. The Act has now received Royal Assent after MPs supported amendments put forward by the House of Lords.
Under Martyn’s Law, staff at all UK venues with a capacity of more than 200 people must undergo evacuation training, and sites with more than 800 people also need extra measures such as security staff. Businesses in the first category have to put in place procedures to reduce harm to the public in the event of an attack. These include training employees to lock doors, close shutters, and identify a safe route from the premises.
The legislation is a landmark step in strengthening public safety across the UK and applies to a wide range of premises and events. Figen Murray OBE is the lead campaigner for Martyn’s Law, after the death of her son, Martyn Hett, who was one of 22 people killed in the bombing. She said: “Martyn’s Law is a piece of legislation that mandates that venues have to keep customers and staff safe from terrorist attacks, so that every member of staff, from the CEO to the cleaning person, knows how to lockdown a building, how to evacuate, how to invacuate and how to communicate to keep themselves, their customers and staff safe.”
It puts an onus on premises, following recent attacks, to demonstrate that all four of these tenets of the Act have been fully met to avoid the risk of compensation claims, with retailers and businesses fearing potential liability.
The second category for premises with a capacity of more than 800 individuals are now required to put in place stronger measures, such as installing equipment, including CCTV and ground-breaking new technology, such as Audiebant’s AI-powered multi-directional and multi-layered messaging system. This uses audio and other technologies to enable different messages to be sent live to different customers or staff on different levels or in different zones, for instance, guiding customers away from danger or multi-faceted evacuations in the event of an incident and providing peace of mind for retailers, customers and staff.
The latest emerging technologies mean existing PA systems can be upgraded into zoned and automated multi-lingual systems to enable all customers and staff, wherever they are, to receive the right instructions at the right time, thus reducing casualties and potentially saving lives.
The new legislation reinforces good business practice, allowing staff and customers to feel safe and demonstrating a serious commitment to their wellbeing. Retailers need to take a proactive approach to applying the new rules, which will resonate well with the public and stakeholders. This proactivity will not only ensure compliance but also enhance overall operational safety and public confidence in retailers’ businesses, demonstrating they have done everything they can and safeguarding against future claims.
Glynn Davis, editor, Retail Insider
Supported by:
