Page 273 - DMGT551_RETAIL_BUSINESS_ENVIRONMENT

Retail Business Environment

Notes interlocked with the drive mechanism so that the unit can not be operated unless the door is
fully closed. Balers should have two handed stop and operating buttons that make you push
both buttons simultaneously to operate. This keeps your hands at a safe location and distance
from danger. The feed throat on garbage disposal equipment and grinders should be guarded so
that hands cannot come into contact with the moving blades.
Electricity

Members in department stores, supermarkets and other retail stores may face hazards from
exposure to live electricity. Contact with energized equipment can cause shock, burns, startle
accidents and even death.
Electric shock injuries are a danger when retail workers are exposed to live wiring, temporary
wiring and damaged electrical equipment, especially when adequate training has not been
given. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) estimates that more than
half of all electric shock deaths and injuries can be prevented if employers provide training
about electrical hazards and institute safe working practices.
In supermarkets, slicers, grinders, saws and other electrical appliances have exposed non-current
carrying metal parts that can cause electrical shock when used near water. There is also the
potential for shocks during routine maintenance and servicing if electrical lockout and tagout is
not used to de-energize the powered equipment.
In department stores and other retail stores, exposed temporary wiring and damaged flexible
cords can cause injury. Product displays and newly designed areas are frequently installed
without permanent wiring. Back of the store stockrooms may have damaged wiring, temporary
fixtures and obsolete electrical equipment. Retail workers should visually inspect all electrical
wiring regularly to check for breaks, fraying, and other defects. All electric outlet boxes should
be covered. All switch boxes and circuits should be labelled.

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters, which shut off electrical current in the even of a leak, should
be used whenever possible, and electrical lockout and tagout, which prevents accidental start up
of machinery during maintenance, should be practiced at all times.

Working in the Cold

Members who work in cold environments like freezers, cold box storage rooms and refrigeration
trucks need proper protection from the cold. Protection from the cold can be attained by wearing
proper clothing and the redesigning of your working situation. Your employer should train
you in the health hazards associated with exposure to cold, the early signs of overexposure,
proper clothing and the safe work practices to use when working in cold temperatures. Clothing
should be lightweight, waterproof and layered. It should allow moisture, such as sweat to
evaporate from the inside, while preventing environmental moisture from penetrating to the
inside. You may perspire even in cold temperatures. If the outer layer of clothing prevents the
sweat from evaporating and wets the clothing close to the body, the body will remain cold and
wet, a dangerous combination. It is important to alternate working in cold areas with working
in areas that are warm and heated.
Machinery, tools and jobs should be designed to make them less hazardous. Since clothing is
bulky and there is loss of manual dexterity due to clothing and the cold, tasks should be
redesigned with this in mind. Attention should be paid to spacing of handles, knobs and other
mechanical parts. Tool handles should be easy to grasp. Metal parts should be insulated.

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