Introduction: Staying Safe in Retail

Welcome. Retail workers can face threats, and being prepared keeps everyone safer. Safety at work is built through small, everyday choices, and preventing violence is part of keeping everyone safe at work.

Picture the start of a shift. A customer at your register keeps getting louder, and the line behind them is growing. You have a choice: keep your distance, tell a coworker, or get a manager.

Think of one moment at work that made you uneasy. Hold onto it as you read the topics below.

The following topics help you spot trouble early and use the protections your employer provides:

• Warning signs: how to notice behavior that may be a concern
• Staying safe: ways to protect yourself and not handle a problem alone
• Emergencies: what to do and where to go when something serious happens
• Reporting: who to tell and what happens next

Here’s where each one shows up at work: