Retail Loss Prevention

Many businesses allow staff to purchase stock at a reduced rate. If your business is to allow this, you must have a clear policy regarding;
• The level of discount;
• The procedure to purchase and obtain such discount. This would involve a third party authorizing and processing the transaction;
• Keeping a record of all purchases.

Shoplifters should be identified and apprehended. However a detailed policy regarding apprehension of shoplifters and staff training regarding this policy is necessary. The policy and training regarding it, is relevant to the businesses work place health and safety of its employees and is effective tool in combating and preventing further incidence of shoplifting. It is also necessary to ensure all relevant evidence and intelligence is recorded.

Use an anonymous phone line, (Whistle-blower Line) which enables employees to report any known internal theft or incidents of collusion that they are aware of, but would prefer not to be identified for fear of reprisals.

Point of Sale equipment and data provides a good source of information for business owners to conduct analysis of various staff’s performance and sales. Careful analysis of data, against receipts and suspicions may assist in successful apprehension of illegal conduct.

Hot products vary by outlet, location, time of year and demographics. They are products that are readily sought after as a high priority and easy to conceal during the process of a theft. Once identified, various approaches can be considered to reduce their loss, e.g. delivery checking, shelf replenishment techniques, use of special storage, display location and equipment and regular counting routines ‘Hot Products’ require special management and strategies to ensure their security. Because varying degrees of risk occur throughout the replenishment cycle, checkpoints should be invoked at all key stages of the supply chain process. Frequency of count should be weekly minimum and hourly maximum. Counting may deter theft as the products receive more regular attention and therefore thieves will be prone to more surveillance.

Tasks such as, for example, lifting, pulling, bending and twisting, particularly when under load can, if not undertaken properly, cause injury. As such employers use a range of strategy, education and training to prevent such occurring. Unfortunately where employees are undertaking tasks correctly, they may still suffer trauma or injury, by undertaking the same task over and over again, whilst using the same part of their body, without a break. Often muscles or other soft tissue will strain, tear or become injured when it is continually used over and over again.
Business owners need to identify, through Risk Assessment, tasks performed by staff that require repetitive motion, and which could cause trauma.
Job Safety Instructions or Safe Work Methods or other instructions are written to guide staff undertaking repetitive motion activity.
1. The use of exercises for employees, and when such exercises should be performed;
2. The use of ergonomically designed equipment, to lessen such activity;
3. Employees who are exposed to cumulative trauma being rotated to perform other jobs;
4. The use of frequent breaks between tasks, where stretching is encouraged or directed.

WPH&S should be a component of induction. Time should be taken to address;
1. The organisations philosophy regarding the safety of its workers;
2. The organisational Work Place Health and Safety Plan;
3. The medium to report accidents, injuries, hazards or near misses;
4. All Job Safety Instructions with respect to the job description;
5. The role of Job Safety Assessments;
6. Specific induction should be carried out with respect to specific sites where the worker may perform duty, or specific hazards which the worker may experience;
7. All rules with regard to WPH&S including the use of Personal Protective Equipment;(PPE)
8. First Aid;
9. Emergency and Evacuation procedures; The induction of the employee with respect to the above is recorded and noted by the employee, and becomes part of the employee’s H.R file.

Asbestos needs to be treated with caution. A survey should be performed by a licensed inspector, and all asbestos present must be identified. An inventory and assessment of the asbestos condition, including potential for disturbance must be made. Where asbestos is not safely contained, it should be professionally removed, or secured. Audit should be carried out regularly to ensure circumstances do not deteriorate

It goes without saying that employees need to be trained in all aspects of their job description.
A common link between injury, claims, and litigation, is a lack of specific employee training.
Good training records obviously assist employees and employers to manage employee training, development and enhancement.
Of major importance, is the role that good training records play in defending claims and litigation.
Proving that an injured worker was adequately trained, through good recording keeping, greatly enhances an employers position.

Depending upon the nature of the occupation, a business could consider the following:
• Chest X-rays;
• Audiometric tests;
• Pulmonary function tests;
• Vision tests for nearsightedness, farsightedness, or colour blindness;
• Flexibility and strength tests that measure degree of extension and strength;
• Stress tests to identify aerobic conditioning and general physical fitness;
• Tests to determine presence of chemicals and or sensitivity to chemicals and allergens;
• EKGs or similar tests to monitor cardiac health.

In most jurisdictions, there are written procedures relating to specific work place tasks that are approved, as the correct method to undertake these tasks. They are usually practical guides to allow employers to reach the required standards. Usually, such Codes or Standards are written by qualified and experienced operators. Codes and Standards provide specific direction relating to the way we do things in the work place.