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Last updated on Wednesday, November 25, 2015
(INDIANAPOLIS) - Black Friday kicks off the holiday shopping season and brings heavy customer traffic to retailers across the state of Indiana.
On November 27, Hoosier businesses will serve large crowds of shoppers rushing for door-busting deals. The Indiana Department of Labor reminds employers and employees to be prepared for the safety of themselves and their customers on one of the busiest retail days of the year.
"The post-Thanksgiving shopping tradition has an unfortunate history of dangerous situations due to out-of-control crowds," said Commissioner Rick J. Ruble. "Crowd management is an essential part of safety on Black Friday."
Components of effective crowd management include:
Pre-event planning and setup, including the use of line markers or barricades to separate crowds and maintain customer traffic flow
Large, visible signage to inform customers of main door locations or checkout lines
Employee training on crowd direction and organization
Emergency situation strategies and procedures that are understood by employees
Inadequate crowd management has lead to serious worker injuries and death. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) developed thorough safety guidelines to help keep employees and customers safe during large retail sales events. OSHA's crowd management safety guidelines for retailers can be found at
www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/Crowd_Control.html.
About the Indiana Department of Labor
The mission of the Indiana Department of Labor is to advance the safety, health and prosperity of Hoosiers in the workplace. In order to make significant strides, we emphasize both enforcement and voluntary compliance by employers. Follow the Indiana Department of Labor on Twitter: @INDeptofLabor and Like on Facebook: facebook.com/IndianaDeptartmentofLabor.
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