The retail sector is a key contributor to South Australia’s economy, offering essential services and jobs. However, retail workers can face significant safety risks, particularly violence and aggression from customers. In response, SafeWork SA conducted a compliance project to tackle these concerns and reinforce worker protection under work health and safety law.
Background & Initiative
After an alarming number of violent incidents reported between January 2021 and January 2022, and concerning survey results from the SDA indicating widespread verbal and physical abuse in retail, SafeWork SA took action. The project involved auditing 98 retail workplaces, selected based on past incident reports, to ensure they were meeting safety obligations.
Retail Audits
During the period from June 2022 to January 2023, SafeWork SA carried out a series of audits across a diverse mix of retail businesses—including fast food outlets, service stations, supermarkets, department stores, pharmacies, and various specialty stores. These audits focused on the following:
- Does the PCBU have a system for dealing with aggressive or violent customers?
- Does the PCBU have an armed hold up procedure?
- Are controls such as security guards, screens, alarms, CCTV, signage, workplace layout or multiple staff working together maintained to deal with aggressive clients?
- Are employees provided with access to assistance to deal with aggressive clients?
- Have managers, supervisors, and workers received training in the PCBUs systems?
- Are workers consulted in the implementation of control measures for managing aggression and violence in the workplace?
Where instances of non-compliance were identified, SafeWork SA issued statutory notices to ensure that retail businesses took the necessary steps to effectively manage and mitigate risks. This proactive campaign forms part of a broader effort to enforce safety standards and protect retail employees from workplace violence and aggression.
Audit Outcomes
During the campaign, audits at 98 retail sites led to the issuance of 29 statutory notices for non-compliance, including 28 improvement notices and 1 expiation notice due to failure to comply with a prior notice, with a breakdown by retail type shown in the Figure below.
A business was fined $3,660 for not following an Improvement Notice during the inspections. When this happens, another Improvement Notice is also given to correct the original problem. The chart below shows which obligations were most often not met, leading to these notices.
Lessons for retailers
The SafeWork SA audits highlighted critical areas such as staff training, safety protocols, and equipment upkeep where retail compliance fell short. Retailers are advised to review the project closure report to better understand these non-compliances and the necessary steps to align with health and safety obligations.
Audit tool access for retailer self assessment
The project closure report recommends the publication of the report and the corresponding audit tool on the SafeWork SA website. This move aims to empower retail businesses and workers with valuable information and the means to ensure their workplaces meet health and safety obligations.
The ARA urges retailers to take advantage of this audit tool for an internal review of compliance status, which can be found in Appendix A of the report.
Guidance on violence and aggression risk management
To further support retailers in upholding safety standards, each state-based WHS regulator provides guidance on managing risks of violence and aggression. Retailers are expected to consult these materials and implement appropriate risk controls to mitigate the dangers associated with violent and aggressive incidents in the workplace.
Disclaimer: The material within this update is provided for general information and educational purposes in summary form on topics that are current when it is first published. The content does not constitute legal advice or recommendations and should not be relied upon as such.
