Health, Safety and Security in Retail
What the domain covers
This domain tests workplace health and safety, fire and electrical precautions, food hygiene, ergonomics, theft prevention, CCTV use, emergency procedures and incident reporting.
Core rules and concepts
- Common hazards: wet floors, loose wires, blocked exits, poor lighting, heavy lifting, sharp edges, chemicals and expired food.
- Fire safety: keep extinguishers accessible and checked; do not block exits; know evacuation routes and assembly points.
- Electrical safety: no overloaded sockets, no damaged cords, switch off equipment at closing.
- Food safety: store raw and cooked food separately; keep perishables at safe temperatures; follow FEFO; keep chemicals away from food.
- Security: cash limits at the counter, safe deposits, CCTV coverage of entry and billing, bag checks under a written policy.
- Reporting: record accidents, near misses, theft and equipment faults; do not hide incidents.
Worked example
A hazard walk finds a wet floor near the entrance, a carton blocking the rear exit, loose wiring near the billing counter and cleaning liquid beside rice bags. Controls: place a wet-floor sign and mop immediately; move the carton and keep the exit clear; tape or replace the wiring and call an electrician; shift chemicals to a locked cupboard away from food. Record each fault and assign a responsible person and deadline.
Traps that cost marks
Blocking exits with stock; storing chemicals near food; sharing CCTV footage casually; ignoring near misses; failing to document incidents; using water on electrical fires.