New research from Watco uncovers the challenges impacting safety and efficiency in the retail logistics and distribution sector.
The research found that a third (33%) have seen their workload increase in the past year. As a result, 44% of respondents from the sector stated that they often make mistakes because they have a lot on their plate and only 31% said they rarely have a backlog of repair and maintenance work.
A likely contributor to increasing workloads was highlighted by the Office for National Statistics, which reported that February 2024 saw the largest monthly rise in online sales since July 2023 for the retail sector. The expectations surrounding speed of delivery and order fulfilment will undoubtedly add to the pressure faced by those in the sector.
Further to this, 86% stated that they have had a budget cut of up to 50% in the past year and 37% agreed that this had posed a safety risk.
The factors they believed to pose the largest risk to health and safety were:
1.Damaged floor / surfaces
2.Time constraints
3.Fire safety
4.Having to meet changing standards and legislation
5.Incorrect installations
Watco’s latest research also revealed how the threats may be impacting safety within facilities, with only 20% reporting that they hadn’t been affected by slips, trips and falls in the past year. Almost a third (31%) also said that materials handling equipment had caused an accident or near-miss in the same period. These experiences were mirrored in a report by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) which included common risks to health and safety in retail as manual handling, slips and trips, violence and workplace transport, while the most common in haulage and distribution were identified as lorries in the workplace, falls from vehicles, manual handling and load security.
Scott Saunders, Technical Service Manager at Watco, commented: “FMs in the retail and logistics sector are constantly battling to balance efficiency with customer demand, all while keeping to tight budgets. There are steps that FMs can take to increase productivity without stretching budgets to breaking point. For example, introducing cost-effective methods such as line marking to provide clear traffic routes for vehicles and pedestrians. These pathways not only indicate the most efficient routes but also minimise the risk of accidents.
“To protect vehicles and reduce the risk of trips and falls, FMs should also ensure that floors are durable and well-maintained. Even minor surface damage can cause an accident when tripped over, or expensive damage to vehicles if they are driven over. Dividing this responsibility between the facility team and making sure they are all trained on how to report damage will help to minimise costs and protect FM workloads. With more team members keeping an eye out for damages and reporting them quickly, damages can be tackled as soon as they are spotted and avoid costly deterioration.”
In addition to pressure from high workloads, a third (34%) stated that they often feel that their skills need refreshing and 30% would like to do more professional development.
Despite the interest in doing more professional development, 34% don’t have the budget to undertake it as often as they’d like.
Scott concluded: “It’s clear that FMs in this sector see investing in training as one of the best ways to keep up with customer demands, but with tight budgets, this isn’t easy. One way to achieve this is by leaning on suppliers for support. They can advise on products that meet business needs and objectives. For example, recommending BREEAM-certified products to meet with sustainability objectives. They may also be able to provide resources that can help with management e.g. maintenance checklists.”
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