By law, the manner in which the item is left behind determines the extent to which the property owner is responsible, or liable, for that item. The 3 main scenarios that occur often involve mislaid, lost, or abandoned property (discussed below).

As a property owner, there are a few ways in which liability can be managed so as to prevent financial loss, unhappy guests, and a tarnished public image. First, property owners must make sure all employees and facility managers understand how mislaid, lost, and abandoned umbrellas are different. Then, a strategy must be created to handle each scenario properly.

Was the Umbrella Mislaid or Lost?

Understanding the difference between mislaid and lost property is key. In his book titled Hospitality Law: Managing Legal Issues in the Hospitality Industry, Stephen Barth explains:

Mislaid property are items that are deliberately placed somewhere, but the owner forgets to retrieve it. If someone leaves an umbrella in a can by the entrance then fails to retrieve it, it is considered “mislaid.”

Lost property include items that are placed somewhere, and the owner forgets where he or she placed it.

Avoid Liability with Wet Umbrella Dispensers

To avoid the pitfalls of mislaid or lost property, it is a good idea for property owners to encourage guests to always maintain possession of their belongs. Wet umbrellas present a unique challenge, however, because they can leave a trail of water that forms dangerous puddles through entryways, in elevator lobbies, and down hallways.

Wet umbrella bag dispensers are an ideal solution, giving guests the ability to neatly wrap, stow, and maintain control of their wet umbrellas safely.

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In the wake of such tragedy, it becomes increasingly important for retail outlets to proactively anticipate and manage crowds, particularly when a holidays, big sales events, or bouts of inclement weather make operations inherently more dangerous. This is not a new responsibility, however.

As early as 1970, the Occupational Safety and Health Act extends responsibility to employers for making workplaces a safe and healthy environment for employees. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) further encourages employers to deploy methods of identifying and neutralizing hazards in the workplace, which can include large crowds.

Crowd Management for Retailers: Tips from OSHA

Retailers are encouraged to review the following tips from OSHA on effective crowd management in retail outlets. To make it easier for employers to foresee and prevent dangerous situations, OSHA advises that events be characterized and considered along 4 distinct phases: Event Planning, Event Setup, and Event Execution.

Event Planning

1. Hire additional staff to monitor and control areas where larger crowds are expected. Depending on the event, employers or property owners may wish to hire police officers and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) to standby in case of emergency.
2. Take proactive measures to ensure each employee is properly trained to handle his or her responsibilities during the event.
3. Delegate the responsibility of dialing 9-1-1- for emergencies to a specific individual, should an emergency occur.
4. Collaborate with in-store managers and other safety specialists to develop an Emergency Plan that details a course of action for all likely emergencies. Emergency Plans should focus on protecting employees from common dangers like overcrowding, being stuck in a crowd, violent acts, and fire.

Event Setup

1. Use crowd control measures to encourage crowds to flow in a safe and effective manner. Products to use include barriers, ropes, stanchions, and signs.
2. Designate an employee to help approaching customers enter the crowd control queue in a safe and orderly manner.
3. Make sure all employees have communication devices (i.e. radios) with fully charged batteries.
4. Consider controlling visitor flow by issuing bracelets or tickets that grant entry during a specific time window.
5. If there are certain products that can easily be sold online, consider offering a special for those items (i.e. free shipping) to make the sale without requiring customers to visit the storefront.
6. Distribute sale items, along with their respective banners/ sales displays, throughout the facility to avoid overcrowding in certain areas.

Event Execution

1. Give employees an easy way to enter/exit the facility through special “Employee Only” areas.
2. Always alert employees prior to the opening of main doors/ other crowded points of entry.
3. Consider aligning police officers or other uniformed personnel along major areas of entry/exit to encourage crowds to remain orderly.
4. Communicate with crowds via speakers, bullhorns, or other audible means.
5. Be vigilant in monitoring occupancy, and cut-off entrants as soon as occupancy is reached.
6. Provide a safe and accessible entrance for individuals with disabilities.

To review this fact sheet in full, visit OSHA® online.

Learn More About Accident Prevention During Events

To learn more about preventing accidents with industry-leading safety products, contact Umbrella Bagger online or call customer services for complimentary consultation at 855-328-8100.

The post Keys to Crowd Management for Retailers appeared first on Umbrella Bagger Blog.

Umbrellas, Rainwater, and Safety

Many businesses are hesitant to invest in new safety products that do not offer a direct and tangible benefit to the bottom line. In today’s economy, managers and risk management teams are often under immense pressure to focus on technological investments that yield large-scale efficiencies in major areas of business operations like manufacturing, marketing, and research and development.

Visitor safety and customer relationship management are essential focal points for businesses looking to increase revenues and efficiencies, however, particularly those involved in retail sales, property management, and the hospitality industry. For these businesses, wet umbrella bag stands provide numerous benefits at a low cost that is easy to manage.

To more easily make this cost-benefit analysis, it helps to assess the 4 main reasons why wet umbrellas are dangerous for business.

1. Entrance Mats Dry Shoes Only

Businesses that feel entrance matting and safety signs are adequate in preventing slip and fall accidents are wise to reconsider the reach of their safety initiatives. Rubber mats, carpet mats, and other flooring materials are highly effective in wiping the dirt and moisture from the soles of shoes. However, they do not prevent moisture and debris from being carried past the entryway by umbrellas. Moreover, guests who perform the “Shake and Splash” inevitably throw rainwater, snow, and ice well past entrance mats and on to lobby floors.

2. Guests Are Prone to the ‘Shake and Splash’

We’ve all seen it before: A guest quickly enters the building, taking refuge from the storm outside. They carefully wipe their shoes repeatedly, consciously trying to avoid a slip and fall. Then, they vigorously open and close their wet umbrella several times, shaking it dry so they may carry it more comfortably throughout the interior of the building.

The problem: The popular “Shake and Splash” move throws precipitation beyond the reach of entrance mats. Rainwater, snow, and/or ice are left to melt and form dangerous puddles on uncovered areas of lobby floors. Responsibility then falls on the shoulders of the maintenance staff to clean the mess before another guest accidentally slips and falls. And for commercial locations that experience a great deal of visitor inflow/outflow, or for those with limited maintenance resources, the risk of accident increases with each guest who arrives.

3. Slip and Fall Accidents Are a Costly Problem

Slip and fall accidents are a costly problem, and it’s estimated that American businesses lost approximately $12 billion to such insurance claims in 2010 alone. This figure is courtesy of the Liberty Mutual Research Institute, and it was published in the organization’s annual safety report titled 2012 Workplace Safety Index. The report also indicated that slip and fall accidents are 1 of the 10 most costly categories of workplace accidents that has actually increased in cost since 1998.

4. Property Owners May Face Liability

By law, property owners are required to take reasonable measures to keep premises safe for those who visit. Property owners owe the highest level of duty and care for invitees—those individuals who are invited on to the premises. It’s vital for business owners to understand that a vast number of jurisdictions consider customers to be invitees, as the opportunity to conduct business in the store/on location carries with it an unspoken invitation to enter.

And while lawmakers do not require business owners to give guests a disposable umbrella bag on rainy days, they do require property owners to take reasonable efforts to keep the premises safe. This includes covering slippery floors with floor mats that increase traction, as well as proactively cleaning liquid accumulation and dangerous puddles. In this way, wet umbrella bag dispensers keep businesses a step ahead, preventing rainwater accumulation and the liability that comes with it.

Learn More About Wet Umbrella Bag Dispensers

To learn more about our state of the art umbrella bag dispensers, visit our Automatic Wet Umbrella Wrappers online store. Readers are also invited to contact customer service at 855-328-8100.

The post Why Are Wet Umbrellas Dangerous? appeared first on Umbrella Bagger Blog.