Hoosier Retailers Reminded To Plan For Safety, Prepare Crowd Control For Black Friday

Last updated on Wednesday, November 23, 2016

(INDIANAPOLIS) - For many Hoosiers, Black Friday, marks the start of the 2016 holiday shopping season.

The Indiana Department of Labor reminds employers to take the appropriate precautions to ensure worker safety during this historically hectic business day. Black Friday is expected to see large groups of enthusiastic shoppers. This kind of increased traffic can lead to dangerous situations for both workers and customers.

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

"The Indiana Department of Labor encourages all retailers to take steps to proactively protect employees on the busiest shopping day of the holiday season," said Commissioner Rick J. Ruble. "Planning ahead is key, and it'll be important to not just workers, but also shoppers, that all necessary measures for crowd management are prepared beforehand."

Inadequate crowd management has lead to serious worker injuries and death. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) developed safety guidelines to help employers keep workers and shoppers 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.

1340 AM WBIW welcomes comments and suggestions by calling 812.277.1340 during normal business hours or by email at comments@wbiw.com

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