Safety Measures in Supermarkets – Goodbye, Accidents!

Few workplaces are as diverse as a supermarket – work areas range from sales floors with shelving systems and freezers to service counters, such as meat or fish departments, checkout areas, storage rooms and deliveries. With the variety of different work areas, the risk of workplace accidents also increases. That is why a wide range of different safety measures is necessary. 

Today’s article is all about these safety measures and how best to prevent accidents in supermarkets, so that we can finally say – goodbye, accidents! 

Legal foundations of safety measures

Since all practical advice on safety measures is ultimately based on legal foundations , it is worth taking a look at the law books. This helps employers comply with applicable laws and regulations, but it is also often helpful when implementing preventive measures and effective occupational safety management systems. 

The basic principle is that employers must ensure the safety and health of their employees. Logically, all work must therefore be organized in such a way that a risk to life and health is avoided as far as possible . Qualified personnel are often assigned responsibility for occupational safety in order to meet all requirements correctly. 

Below, we highlight two laws and one regulation, although there are of course many other regulations, technical principles and DGUV rules. We therefore strongly recommend taking a look at the “safe supermarket” of the German Social Accident Insurance Institution for the Trade and Distribution Industry (BGHW). This is a free, interactive website containing all important information about occupational safety in food retail. 

Occupational Safety and Health Act (ArbSchG)

The aim of the Occupational Safety and Health Act is, first, to prevent workplace accidents. It also aims to prevent employees from developing chronic illnesses as a result of their work. This includes both physical and mental health.

You can also read more about the Occupational Safety and Health Act in our article “How often must an employer provide safety shoes?”. 

Occupational Safety Act (ASiG)

The Occupational Safety Act, also known as the “Act on Company Physicians, Safety Engineers and Other Occupational Safety Specialists”, is aimed at the stakeholders responsible for occupational safety. This means that it is addressed directly to employers. The Occupational Safety Act contains provisions governing the provision of company physicians and occupational safety specialists. It also defines their duties and positions within the company. Overall, this law requires cooperation within the company on occupational safety. 

Personal Protective Equipment Use Regulation (PSA-BV)

The Personal Protective Equipment Use Regulation stipulates when, how and what personal protective equipment must be provided to employees.  As the name suggests, personal protective equipment includes all safety measures that protect against workplace hazards. This naturally includes safety shoes, but also safety goggles, protective gloves or helmets where necessary. 

Practical suggestions for safety measures

Whenever people and technology come together, accidents can happen quickly – whether due to inadequate occupational safety or human error. It is therefore important to implement suitable safety measures and occupational safety management systems in order to reduce the risk as much as possible. 

The causes of workplace accidents in a supermarket are as varied as the job itself. Classic trip hazards must be taken into account, as must the hazards to which hands and feet are constantly exposed from roll containers, pallet trucks or forklifts. In addition, prolonged standing or sitting can lead to musculoskeletal disorders. 

The various safety measures are highly complex and extensive. Here are a few basic and easy-to-implement safety measures that no supermarket should be without: 

Safety measures from head to toe – occupational and safety shoes

Good prevention starts with suitable footwear , because this is the only way to ensure secure footing! In fact, the German Social Accident Insurance showed in a 2019 report that hand and foot injuries are the most common consequences of accidents in retail . 

Employers should therefore always ensure that their staff are equipped with suitable occupational or safety shoes. These can prevent numerous trip accidents, crush injuries and even musculoskeletal disorders. 

Not only is this type of safety measure economically worthwhile – after all, every workplace accident and work-related illness leads to costly absences and disruptions to operations – it is also very easy to introduce. 

If you need advice on choosing suitable footwear, please feel free to contact us at any time!

Safety measures: after prevention comes prevention

Alongside inadequate occupational safety in the workplace, human error is often the cause of accidents. The reasons are as varied as the trip hazards in a supermarket. But often, it is simply a lack of knowledge or exhaustion that leads people to make mistakes. 

Safety measures should therefore not always consist only of specific  equipment. Because just as important as safety shoes when handling a forklift is proper, regular instruction about workplace hazards and sufficient rest breaks. 

Examples of these safety measures include: 

• Regular occupational safety training 
• Regular information sharing about workplace hazards 
• Sufficient rest breaks during the shift
• Observing regular working hours without overtime 

Putting these types of safety measures into practice can take a little more time, but the result is certainly worth it. We should not forget that employees who work in a safe and healthy environment are not only ill less often, but also work with greater commitment and motivation, as we recently showed in our article “How can we ensure that your retail employees are satisfied?”.