Safer Shopping for Nova Scotians

Whether they knew it or not, employees specifically and Nova Scotians generally were safer than ever during the last Christmas shopping frenzy.

Today, the Department of Labour released its report on a "retail blitz" conducted jointly by the Occupational Health and Safety Division and the Fire Marshal's Office during the holiday shopping season.

"The aim of this blitz was to stress to employers, employees and the general public that any workplace must be as safe as possible," said Labour Minister Russell MacKinnon. "We especially wanted to generate attention for health and safety issues in the retail sector during its busiest season."

Retail businesses provide a unique challenge for occupational health and safety. Unlike at manufacturing firms, the public is an ever-present reality in the retail sector and a shopper's safety may be put at risk by inattention to hazards in the workplace, in addition to potential risk to employees.

"As far as fire safety goes, retail facilities are normally viewed as a low-risk occupancy," said Mr. MacKinnon. "However, there have been multiple-death fires when safety measures have either not been provided or maintained."

Forty-five inspections were conducted across the province between November 1997 and February 1998, and a total of 259 orders were issued -- an average of 5.7 orders per inspection.

The inspections addressed occupational health and safety issues such as workplace health and safety policies, first-aid and chemical safety, material handling and work at height. Deputies of the Fire Marshal's Office checked access to exits, maintenance of fire-protection equipment, storage of flammable and combustible materials, locks on exit doors and building features.

The blitz included several types of retail businesses, including grocery stores, hardware stores, department stores, car dealerships, furniture stores and liquor stores.

Five inspections were completed in each of Sydney, Antigonish-Port Hawkesbury, New Glasgow, Truro, Amherst, Kentville-New Minas and Bridgewater-Liverpool. In addition, seven inspections were conducted in Halifax and three in Yarmouth.

The data in the report are descriptive of those businesses inspected. The information cannot be used to conclude that any one store, chain of stores, type of store, or geographic area of the province is any safer than another in terms of workplace health and safety.

The blitz provided an opportunity for the department's Occupational Health and Safety officers and Fire Marshal's Office deputies to work together and share ideas and experiences. By conducting these inspections together, a range of workplace safety issues could be addressed at one time and everyone involved could see how the issues and the people are interrelated.

"The intent of this blitz was not to disrupt business but to emphasize the need to be aware of and address fire safety and occupational health and safety issues at all times," said Mr. MacKinnon. "We appreciate the co-operative efforts of the retail owners whose businesses were being inspected. By working together, employers, employees and our officials can accomplish their shared goal of a safer workplace --and shopping place."

NOTE: The following is for use by broadcast media.

They may not have known it, but Nova Scotia shoppers

and store employees were in generally safer buildings

over the Christmas holiday and early winter.

The Department of Labour has released a report on a

"retail blitz" carried out from November to February.

Occupational Health and Safety officers and deputies

from the Fire Marshal's Office inspected 45 outlets across

Nova Scotia. They included all types of business, from

hardware stores to car dealerships and liquor stores.

The inspections focused on such things as first-aid

and chemical safety, fire-protection equipment, and storage

of flammable materials.

In total, 259 orders were issued -- an average of

5.7 per inspection.