Keys to Keeping the Peace on Black Friday
Retail security professionals face several unique challenges associated with Black Friday sales that are not handled on a regular basis. Crowd control is likely the most significant challenge, as it is vital to the safety of shoppers and store employees. Since a Wal-Mart employee was trampled to death by customers in 2008, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has sent a letter to retailers nationwide each year that includes a list of crowd management guidelines. OSHA recommends that crowd management plans should, at minimum, include trained, on-site security personnel or police officers; barricades or rope lines to guide crowd flow; the implementation of crowd control measures before customers arrive at stores; emergency procedures; ways to explain approach and entrance procedures to customers; not allowing more customers into the store if the maximum occupancy level has been reached; and not blocking or locking exit doors. Retail security experts, meanwhile, recommend that retailers have employees who are not assigned to check-outs monitor the store for stockpiles, trip hazards, and traffic blocks and maintain traffic flow. Other recommended security measures not related to crowd control include assigning seasonal employees to positions that do no involve contact with credit cards or money and implementing tight stockroom and cash controls.
