Safety Incidents

Incidents page to try and prevent problems
This page was set up with the view to inform other business people / retailers of problems that have occurred that could have had detrimental effect on our business.  Accidents do happen but where information and knowledge is shared this may help prevent such incidents occurring within your business. 

Accident report on web site Every store has problems with slips and falls from time to time.  This can be the result of many different things such as during the washing of floors or product falling on the floor and breaking etc.  Proper visibility and quick action is foremost in dealing with these issues.  The standard wet floor sign in the photo is fine when it stays upright but when tipped with a basket or trolley and knocked over it becomes a hazard itself.  We have sourced a new type of wet floor sign which will not turn over.  It is very visible, easily washable and can be folded up for storage in potential hazard areas throughout the shop for easy deployment.

Checking Freezer
In the storage area we have a number of walk in freezers. On 25th May smoke was coming from one area of the store where the freezers are located.  When the door of the freezer was opened the smoke came out and the fire was dealt with very quickly.   

Prior to the fire there had been no incidents recorded.  There is a heated strip around the inside of the door to prevent the door from freezing up.  It seems that it went faulty and caused a short which resulted in a fire.  Had this taken place at night time the situation could have been a lot more serious. 

On a further examination of the strip around the door it is felt that the strip may have been knocked when it was originally installed or that a combi inside the freezer may have run against the metal strip accidentally and contributed to this fault. 

It will never be fully known what the problem was.  If you have such a freezer it would be worth checking the strip around the door for dents or discolouration as such an incident could happen again.