Another year means another time to look at your business as a whole. Entrepreneurs have a lot to worry about, so it’s no surprise that improving safety for businesses takes a backseat in their minds while juggling so many other parts of running a business! Before thinking about sales, promotions and other major parts of your business for the next year, make sure to spend some time planning how to keep your business safe and secure for years to come!
Read on to learn the most important tips for improving safety for businesses and establishing your resolution to keep your staff and customers safer!
Watch for Holiday Fire Hazards
One thing hasn’t changed this year: decorations! Whether your business still has holiday lights up, New Years decorations, or any other of the season’s festive looks, you should beware of the hazards they can present to your business.
Businesses from small offices to large retail operations are full of flammable items. Where you place paper decorations, wreaths, or anything else could put your entire business at risk! You must be careful to place temporary decorations away from heat sources to avoid potential ignition hazards.
Once you’ve packed away your winter holiday decorations, keep this in mind throughout the whole year. Improving safety for businesses is a habit – not a singular action! From St. Patrick’s Day to Thanksgiving, every holiday that rolls around should be celebrated safely to protect your business, staff, and customers.
Beware of Increased Theft
One unfortunate trend lately is a notable increase in theft from stores of all kinds. From small items to expensive electronics, business shrinkage is something nobody likes to deal with. During the most profitable time of year, it can really cut into the excitement of a strong month’s sales.
There are two types of theft you should be on the lookout for as a business owner:
Employee Theft
It’s no secret employee theft is a problem for retail outlets across the nation. Theft from employees can actually be one of the most impactful problems for stores when it comes to inventory.
There are a few steps you can take to fight employee theft:
- Use your security cameras to watch checkout and areas with high-priced products
- Implement a thorough review policy for voided sales
- Pair seasonal employees with experienced and trusted team members
A cautious approach to employee theft can reduce shrinkage and help make sure you have a more profitable year!
Customer Theft
Changes in policies and habits for interacting with customers can leave potential thieves with more opportunities this year to make off with your inventory unpaid – unless you take the proper precautions! General theft from a business is almost unavoidable, but you can take steps to reduce your overall losses:
- Use security cameras to record footage of high-value areas in your business
- Consider using a receipt-checking system for those leaving your store
- Upgrade your cameras to include recording of visitors exiting from your store to help law enforcement catch identified thieves
- Use access control to reduce the risk of unauthorized access to storage areas
Remember, a large portion of theft is about opportunity. Implementing a strong security system including cameras, access control and a monitored alarm system are all part of reducing this opportunity and discouraging theft! This can be one of the biggest steps any business owner takes to improving safety for their business this year.
Review Your Safety Training
Onboarding new employees usually involves a safety walkthrough and training. Proper training is critical for employees to know how to avoid dangers on the job or to stop unavoidable incidents like electrical fires. Despite this, many businesses forego in-depth safety training and safety reviews throughout the year. This can be a big mistake! A well-trained employee is a safety advocate for your entire business.
Consider the safety precautions your business takes, such as:
- Fire escape plans
- Fire extinguisher locations
- Inventory stacking/storing requirements
- Equipment usage (forklifts, etc)
- Sample product safety
Employees need refreshers with any type of training. For safety, these refreshers can remind them of critical steps they may be forgetting, so they can be just as well-versed in safety as the first day they learned these protocols. Skipping important safety education is a recipe for disaster. They may injure themselves, a fellow staff member, or even a customer!
Upgrade Your Security Cameras with Temperature Detection
Habitec Security now offers state of the art temperature detection cameras. These simplify the process of tracking customer and employee temperatures, while keeping your staff safe from exposure from common risks like COVID-19, colds and seasonal flus.
Our temperature detection cameras improve safety for businesses by:
- Providing accurate (+/- .5 to .9 degrees) temperature testing for anyone passing through the camera’s view
- Screen high volumes of customers entering your business at once
- Let your screener stay far away from customers to reduce their exposure risk while still providing a necessary safety process for your business
In addition to their popular usage for temperature detection, these cameras can also make it easier to count traffic entering or exiting your business, or even for facial recognition in areas where lighting may not be the best!
Learn more about our temperature detection cameras!
Contact Us Today to Secure Your Business!
Continue to keep your business safe! Our security experts can perform a security evaluation and provide custom-designed, integrated security solutions backed by award-winning, 24-hour local monitoring. Contact us today!
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