Mobile monitoring technology could be the answer to a rise in violence against shop workers in the UK.
This rise has highlighted the opportunities mobile monitoring provides employers to offer staff peace of mind as well as increased security.
Home Office figures have revealed that assaults and threats experienced by workers in the retail sector nearly trebled last year, rising from 524 incidents per 1,000 premises in 2016 to 1,433 in 2017, according to the Commercial Victimisation Survey.
A similar report undertaken by the Scottish Government showed that people receiving physical abuse in the workplace was up slightly to 8% of respondents from 7% in 2008/9. It was estimated that 38% of adults who deal with the public had experienced verbal abuse and 8% had experienced physical abuse in 2016/17, according to the Scottish Crime and Justice report.
Many retailers already deploy panic buttons beside the till but risks are not static. Mobile devices ensure workers across the shop floor and in the warehouse are also able to make an alert when faced with potentially dangerous situations.
Tom Morton, CEO of Safe Shores Monitoring, called for employers to inform themselves of the risks their employees face and put in place support to help deal with worrying incidents of violence.
He said: “Mobile monitoring technology enables support for lone workers. In environments where risk is variable, mobile monitoring allows employers to mitigate dangerous situations, offer peace of mind for employees as well as support police with response and investigations.
“These recent reports show that retailers in particular are facing greater risk when it comes to protecting workers who are alone in the shop or the warehouse and away from a stationary panic button.
“Employers have a duty of care which requires them to do what they can to ensure the safety of their employees, and this includes offering them support that offers assistance at the push of a button wherever they are.
“Safe Shores Monitoring delivers one of the most accessible and robust lone worker solutions to employers across the UK.”
