Whether you want to completely redo the look of your store’s interior or just make a few minor adjustments to your retail displays, your ambitious goals will often require a lot of hard work and effort. However, keep in mind that by taking the appropriate retail safety measures, you can realize your vision without putting anyone in harm’s way.
When running a business, the last thing you want is for there to be an accident. Shoppers or staff could get hurt, and products could break or get damaged in other ways. When your business focuses on providing exceptional service to your customers, even the slightest mishap might ruin their shopping experience. One of the best things you can do is hire a professional to ensure customer safety.
Why Should You Always Contact and Hire a Professional to Input Retail Displays?
Installing a retail display requires the expertise of a trained professional for the following reasons:
- Knowledge and expertise: Many companies specializing in retail displays often have consultants on the team who have the knowledge and experience to offer advice and recommendations based on their work with previous clients.
- Familiarity with local laws and building codes: Features that run on electricity to function are common in commercial retail displays. Because of this, it’s vital to get the local electrical inspector’s stamp of approval on the retail display design and installation before switching it on.
- Proper insurance and licensing: Experts in merchandising displays are fully covered by insurance and authorized to do their business legally. An uninsured contractor may be able to execute the work for you, but they won’t be able to cover any potential accidents with insurance.
- Making professional decisions: Professionals can advise you on the appropriate type of retail display to supplement your current setup. In addition, they know everything there is to know about the materials and methods used in production, so they can accurately set your expectations for performance and cost.
- Less risk for workers and customers: Professionals know about the hazards related to retail displays, shelving, and electrical wiring. They only use products and materials that have undergone extensive testing for various potential customer safety issues, such as mechanical and electrical safety. Specific local regulations, such as those on flammability or chemical composition and emissions, may also be factored into their product evaluations.
- Legal protection against accusations of faulty construction or installation: When defending against charges of poor product design or store negligence, retail display specialists may give crucial supporting evidence and be expert witnesses.
What Are the Safety Risks?
Shelving units, countertops, gondolas, tables, free-standing racks, kiosks, and sunglass displays are just a few examples of the many shapes and styles of retail displays and fixtures. Digital signage equipment may also be incorporated into the displays. Materials like wood, metal, wire, plastic, cardboard, and glass may be used in their production.
Due to the many kinds of displays, there are more ways that something could go wrong and more risks involved, such as:
Protruding Displays
Racks and other structures stretching into the aisle are typical examples of these displays, and they may be found wherever retail goods are sold. Protruding display cabinets or cases can be a tripping hazard, which can be an issue for shoppers passing by. And if they have sharp corners, they might easily hurt somebody who happens to pass by or accidentally brush up against it. These are some situations in which a customer may have legal grounds to sue the store owner. Any retail store that fails to take reasonable precautions to secure protruding displays to protect customers will likely be held accountable for injuries sustained in a subsequent lawsuit.
Objects That Could Potentially Fall on Customers
If there’s a risk that something on display will fall and hurt a visitor, it is the duty of retail management to fix it. For instance, having too many items on display or assembling them incorrectly can lead to the display collapsing and fall cases. It might topple or fall due to uneven loading as well. The objects in these displays could collapse on the customers at any moment, as they may be placed in racks, cases, or other stacking displays.
Stores can still be held accountable for customers’ injuries, even if they were caused by the actions of other shoppers who rearranged the merchandise. Ties, shelf extenders, and bars are good examples of premises safety devices and restraints that stores can use to keep inventory from falling off high shelves.
Other Hazards
Customers might not be paying attention to their surroundings; thus, having empty end-caps and stacks of things low to the ground increases the risk of someone getting hurt. Sharp ends on display hooks might cause injury. And broken display parts can cause the display to fail or hurt someone. You could be held responsible when customers get hurt at your retail store because of improper shelving or displays.
What Are the Consequences if a Customer or Employee is Injured Due to a Display in the Retail Industry?
If you don’t make sure retail displays are safe, it can lead to several negative consequences. As mentioned earlier, customers who sustain injuries may file a lawsuit. Injured workers may need time off work, and your insurance company may respond by increasing your rate. Your company’s good name is also at risk. If a customer has an accident and then shares it with all their social media friends and followers, the situation can quickly get out of hand, even if the accident itself is minor.
When workplace accidents or injuries occur on private property, the owner is responsible under the principle of “premises liability.” These include incidents that happened on the premises of a company or business.
Owners are legally responsible for protecting the well-being of everybody who sets foot on their property. To achieve this, they must take all necessary precautions. Injuries sustained due to hazardous or substandard conditions on another person’s property may lead to personal injury lawsuits, where the legal notion of “premises liability” comes into play. If negligent maintenance is found, the owner may have to award damages to the injured plaintiff. Such damages often consist of medical expenses (both past and future) and income (or potential income) lost due to the accident.
Other Ways of Avoiding Retail Safety Risks
To sum it up, stores can be held accountable for how safe their displays are. However, by adopting new policies and processes, businesses may also lead the charge for more secure retail displays. Here are some things stores may do to promote more secure displays:
Employee Training
The first step in ensuring the retail safety of displays is to educate all employees on the topic. Among the issues that should be covered in your training program are back room and sales floor procedures such as:
- The correct way to place products on each type of retail fixture, with extra caution given to those made of electronics, glass, or other delicate materials.
- Products that are too tall, heavy, or awkwardly shaped should be placed on lower shelves, so buyers do not have to reach up or across a display to examine them.
- Instructions to ensure that all end-caps are stocked at all times, that any empty shelves are removed, and that bulk items are stacked to waist height for easy access.
Define the Basic Safeguards That Must Be in Place For All Displays
Determining the unique store safety concerns connected with retail displays, as well as the technical requirements required to mitigate such risks, is dependent on the products sold by the shop.
Perform an Audit on Current Displays
Once basic workplace safety standards have been set, site inspections and audits of the existing retail displays can reveal the degree to which those standards are being met and any gaps in compliance that may put workers or customers at risk.
Where to Find Reliable Retail Display Safety Professionals
If you need dependable retail display safety professionals to help your business stand out in retail stores while minimizing risks, FELBRO Displays is the best company to call. We provide tailored solutions that result in secure, innovative, and unique displays.
We help companies accurately and effectively represent themselves through displays due to our adaptability and extensive services. Additionally, we provide a wide range of design choices, ensuring that your retail displays are as unique as the items they’re showcasing.
Our team’s commitment to accuracy, consistency, and excellence at every stage of production has allowed us to flourish in this industry. Here at FELBRO Displays, we understand what it takes to study a company’s visual identity and then duplicate it with the level of materials, craftsmanship, safety, and security generally reserved for the world’s household brands.
The Bottom Line
Eye-catching displays are crucial to success in today’s highly competitive retail sector. However, keeping shoppers and store personnel safe is a top priority. This is particularly the case with the emergence of more sophisticated displays, which help to pique shoppers’ interest, cut down on or redirect their need for customer service, and improve their entire shopping experience.
Just let us know if you need any help! Trust us to expertly and safely install captivating retail displays that will set your brand apart from the competition. Feel free to get in touch with us if you’re interested in having POP displays made specifically for your needs.
Call us at (800) 7-FELBRO or email us at info@felbroddisplays.com. Read more on our Blog Page!
