Training your employees goes beyond improving customer service. Although that should be one of your highest priorities, you also need to make sure that your retail business is secure. Implementing security measures and fire protection technologies are the best ways to do that. However, you can’t underestimate the value of employee training when it comes to securing your retail business.
Training Your Employees to Respond
First of all, there needs to be an emergency action plan in place. Once that plan has been created, it must be updated and modified whenever necessary. With that in mind, all employees should be trained in how to respond to any emergencies according to this plan. Fire hazards can endanger everyone, and if new hires are unclear about what to do when a fire breaks out, it could make matters worse. Diagrams indicating the routes to reach emergency exits must be posted on every floor of your business, mainly if your retail store contains more than one level. A rendezvous point where everyone is supposed to meet up is also a good idea, so decide on that early on in the process and ensure that everyone knows where to go after evacuating.
Dealing with Fire Extinguishers
Next, your employees must be trained on how to use fire extinguishers properly. Without this training, they won’t know how to operate a fire extinguisher and could worsen the situation instead of making it safer. All employees should be able to access portable fire extinguishers and know how to use them when the need arises. Since retail employees often rotate and work in shifts, every employee needs to gain this knowledge. It’s entirely possible that your entire team could be made up of employees who do not know how to react, or they freeze in panic. By providing an acceptable level of training, free of charge, to all employees, you can reach the standards that OSHA has set about fire safety in your retail space.
Trust the Professionals at ARK Systems
Located in Columbia, Maryland, ARK Systems provides unsurpassed quality and excellence in the security industry, from system design through to installation. We handle all aspects of security with local and remote locations. With over 30 years in the industry, ARK Systems is an experienced security contractor. Trust ARK to handle your most sensitive data storage, surveillance, and security solutions.
Contact ARK Systems at 1-800-995-0189 or click here today. Check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!