In Arizona retail establishments, customers may be at risk of falling objects or tripping hazards if retailers do not stock their merchandise appropriately.
Safety experts have developed protocols for preventing injuries.
Floor displays
Customers are likely to pass temporary displays of products in the aisles of most stores, from stacks of boxes to bins of loose items. While these may be legitimate and safe ways to display products, the short-term set-up has the potential to be less secure than shelving options designed for specific types of objects.
To prevent tripping hazards, the Great American Insurance Group states that floor displays must not have a protruding or unstable base, and the base should never block a portion of the aisle. Floor displays should never be shorter than 36 inches. Items on pallets should not be left in the aisles while staff is stocking shelves.
Shelved products
According to the Member Insurance Agency, falling merchandise is preventable if retailers avoid these situations:
- Merchandise placed on tall shelves in stacks that are too high
- Lack of ties, bars, shelf extenders or fencing to keep merchandise secure on shelves
- Staff stocking areas without signs or cords marking off the area
- Stacks of merchandise of different sizes and shapes
- Lightweight merchandise stacked under heavier objects
- Shelves that are too narrow or shallow for the merchandise
Customers may also be at risk if the merchandise they want is out of reach because it is on shelves above the average shoulder level or if it is at the back of a deep shelf.
