Grocery Store Safety Manual

What Should a Grocery Store Safety Manual Include?

The contents of a Grocery Store Safety Manual should reflect the store’s actual operations.

A small neighborhood grocery store may need a different combination of programs than a large supermarket containing a bakery, deli, meat department, pharmacy, loading dock, powered material-handling equipment, compactors, balers, food preparation areas, and extensive receiving and stocking operations.

Depending on operations, the manual may address:

• Grocery store safety responsibilities.
• Hazard assessments.
• Safety inspections.
• Job Safety Analysis.
• Ergonomics.
• Manual lifting and material handling.
• Stocking and shelving.
• Slips, trips, and falls.
• Walking-working surfaces.
• Ladders and step stools.
• Knives and cutting tools.
• Machine guarding.
• Lockout/Tagout.
• Deli and meat department equipment.
• Bakery equipment.
• Cleaning chemicals.
• Hazard Communication.
• Personal Protective Equipment.
• Forklifts and pallet jacks.
• Loading docks and receiving.
• Compactors and balers.
• Electrical safety.
• Fire prevention.
• Emergency procedures.
• Workplace violence and security.
• Young workers.

Programs should be selected according to the work actually performed, hazards present, equipment used, and applicable safety requirements.

Grocery Store Safety Program

An effective Grocery Store Safety Program establishes responsibilities and procedures for identifying workplace hazards, preventing employee injuries, maintaining equipment, providing appropriate training, and correcting unsafe conditions.

Management should provide employees with the equipment, safeguards, training, PPE, and resources necessary to perform their assigned work safely.

Managers and supervisors should:

• Identify hazards within their departments.
• Conduct appropriate workplace inspections.
• Correct unsafe conditions.
• Maintain equipment and safeguards.
• Establish safe work procedures.
• Provide required employee training.
• Enforce established safety rules.
• Evaluate employee lifting and ergonomic exposures.
• Investigate incidents and near misses.
• Coordinate safety between store departments.
• Follow up on corrective actions.

Employees should follow established procedures, use required safeguards and PPE, report unsafe conditions, and operate only equipment for which they have received appropriate training and authorization.

Grocery Store Hazard Assessments

Work activities should be evaluated to identify hazards associated with each department and employee task.

Hazard assessments may consider:

• Lifting and carrying.
• Repetitive motions.
• Awkward postures.
• Stocking overhead or low shelves.
• Sharp tools.
• Powered machinery.
• Moving equipment.
• Wet or slippery floors.
• Hot equipment and surfaces.
• Refrigerated and frozen environments.
• Hazardous chemicals.
• Electrical equipment.
• Vehicle traffic.
• Workplace violence and security.
• Young-worker assignments.

Assessments should be reviewed when equipment, processes, store layouts, chemicals, or employee tasks change significantly.

Grocery Store Safety Inspections

Periodic safety inspections can help identify unsafe conditions before they contribute to an employee injury or other incident.

Inspections may include:

• Aisles and sales floors.
• Stockrooms.
• Shelving and storage.
• Receiving areas.
• Loading docks.
• Checkout areas.
• Meat and deli departments.
• Bakery areas.
• Produce departments.
• Refrigerators and freezers.
• Ladders and step stools.
• Electrical equipment.
• Machinery and guards.
• Forklifts and pallet jacks.
• Compactors and balers.
• Chemical storage.
• Fire protection equipment.
• Emergency exits.
• Employee work areas.

Identified deficiencies should be documented and corrected in a timely manner.

Job Safety Analysis (JSA/JHA)

A Job Safety Analysis (JSA/JHA) can be used to evaluate higher-hazard grocery store activities and establish appropriate controls before work begins.

JSAs/JHAs may be appropriate for:

• Receiving deliveries.
• Unloading trucks.
• Stocking shelves.
• Moving pallets.
• Operating pallet jacks.
• Forklift operation.
• Meat and deli equipment.
• Bakery equipment.
• Compactor and baler operation.
• Cleaning machinery.
• Maintenance work.
• Ladder use.
• Handling heavy or awkward merchandise.

The JSA/JHA should identify the task steps, hazards associated with each step, and controls necessary to perform the work safely.

Grocery Store Ergonomics

Ergonomic hazards are an important consideration in grocery store operations.

Employees may repeatedly lift, reach, bend, twist, push, pull, scan merchandise, handle products, stock shelves, move carts, or work in awkward positions.

Potential ergonomic risk factors should be evaluated in areas such as:

• Checkout stands.
• Stocking.
• Receiving.
• Produce.
• Meat and deli departments.
• Bakery operations.
• Warehousing and storage.

Where practical, workstations, equipment, work practices, and material-handling methods should be designed or modified to reduce unnecessary physical demands.

Checkout and Cashier Ergonomics

Checkout work can involve repetitive hand and wrist motion, prolonged standing, twisting, reaching, and repeated handling of merchandise.

Checkout stations should be arranged, where practical, to minimize excessive reaching and twisting.

Employees should use established work practices and available equipment to reduce unnecessary strain.

Job rotation or other administrative practices may also be considered where repetitive exposures cannot otherwise be sufficiently reduced.

Stocking and Shelving

Stocking can expose employees to lifting, reaching, bending, falling merchandise, ladders, sharp packaging materials, and interaction with customers or moving equipment.

Employees should:

• Use appropriate lifting techniques.
• Avoid overreaching.
• Use approved ladders or step stools when needed.
• Keep aisles reasonably clear during stocking.
• Stack merchandise securely.
• Avoid creating unstable displays.
• Use appropriate carts or material-handling equipment.
• Keep heavier products within practical handling ranges where feasible.

Boxes and merchandise should not be placed where they create trip hazards or obstruct emergency exits.

Manual Lifting and Material Handling

Grocery store employees may routinely handle cases of beverages, produce, canned goods, frozen products, bags, boxes, and other heavy or awkward merchandise.

Employees should evaluate loads before lifting and obtain assistance when necessary.

Mechanical assistance such as carts, hand trucks, pallet jacks, lift devices, or other material-handling equipment should be used where appropriate.

Employees should avoid unnecessary twisting while lifting and should keep loads under control during movement.

Carts and Hand Trucks

Carts and hand trucks should be appropriate for the load and maintained in safe condition.

Employees should:

• Avoid overloading equipment.
• Secure unstable loads.
• Maintain visibility while moving materials.
• Control carts on ramps or sloped surfaces.
• Keep hands and feet clear of pinch points.
• Report damaged wheels, handles, or frames.

Shelving and Storage

Shelves, racks, and displays should be maintained in stable condition and loaded appropriately.

Damaged shelving should be reported and evaluated.

Merchandise should be stored so that it does not create unnecessary falling-object hazards.

Heavy or frequently handled products should be positioned to reduce unnecessary lifting and reaching where practical.

Slips, Trips and Falls

Wet floors, spilled products, dropped produce, ice, damaged flooring, cords, boxes, pallets, and other obstructions can create slip and trip hazards.

Employees should promptly address or report unsafe floor conditions.

Appropriate warning signs or barriers should be used when temporary hazards cannot be immediately eliminated.

Aisles, walkways, work areas, and emergency routes should be maintained as clear as practical.

Spill Response

Spills should be addressed promptly.

Employees should:

• Protect the area from pedestrian traffic when necessary.
• Use appropriate cleanup materials.
• Follow chemical precautions for hazardous substances.
• Dispose of contaminated cleanup materials appropriately.
• Remove warning devices when the area is safe for normal use.

Leaks from refrigeration equipment, freezers, coolers, plumbing, or other equipment should be reported for repair.

Walking-Working Surfaces

Floors, stairs, platforms, ramps, and other walking-working surfaces should be maintained in a condition appropriate for their intended use.

Hazards such as damaged flooring, loose mats, uneven surfaces, protrusions, and inadequate housekeeping should be corrected.

Ladders and Step Stools

Employees should use an appropriate ladder or step stool when merchandise or materials cannot be safely reached from floor level.

Employees should not stand on:

• Shopping carts.
• Milk crates.
• Boxes.
• Shelving.
• Chairs.
• Other makeshift climbing devices.

Ladders should be inspected and used according to established procedures.

Employees should avoid climbing while carrying items that prevent safe use of the ladder.

Knife and Cutting Tool Safety

Knives and cutting tools are commonly used for opening cartons, preparing food, trimming produce, and performing meat or deli work.

Employees should use the correct tool for the task and keep cutting tools in safe condition.

Where appropriate:

• Cut away from the body.
• Keep hands clear of the cutting path.
• Use suitable cutting surfaces.
• Store knives securely.
• Dispose of damaged blades appropriately.
• Use safety cutters where appropriate for carton-opening work.

Employees should receive instruction before performing tasks involving specialized cutting equipment.

Meat and Deli Department Safety

Meat and deli departments may contain knives, slicers, grinders, saws, tenderizers, mixers, ovens, fryers, hot surfaces, refrigerated environments, and cleaning chemicals.

Safety procedures should reflect the specific equipment and operations present.

Employees should receive appropriate instruction before operating machinery and should not bypass required machine guards or safeguards.

Meat Slicers and Grinders

Slicers, grinders, and similar food-processing equipment can create serious cutting and amputation hazards.

Employees should:

• Use required guards and food-pushing devices.
• Keep hands away from blades and moving components.
• Follow manufacturer operating procedures.
• Stop equipment before performing tasks that cannot safely be completed while it is operating.
• Follow applicable hazardous-energy-control procedures during servicing or maintenance.

Cleaning procedures should be designed to prevent unintended equipment movement and employee contact with hazardous components.

Bakery Department Safety

In-store bakeries may contain commercial mixers, dough-processing equipment, ovens, slicers, proofers, racks, and other machinery.

Potential hazards include:

• Moving machinery.
• Burns.
• Hot surfaces.
• Flour dust.
• Manual material handling.
• Slippery floors.
• Cleaning chemicals.
• Repetitive work.

Employees should be trained on the equipment and procedures applicable to their assigned work.

Where bakery operations are extensive, additional bakery-specific safety programs and procedures may be appropriate.

Hot Equipment and Burn Prevention

Employees working around ovens, fryers, rotisseries, steam, hot water, heated pans, or other hot equipment should understand applicable burn hazards.

Appropriate tools and PPE should be used when handling hot materials.

Hot equipment should be positioned and maintained to reduce accidental contact where practical.

Employees should use caution when opening equipment that may release steam or hot air.

Produce Department Safety

Produce operations may involve repetitive lifting, trimming and cutting, wet floors, carts, boxes, refrigerated areas, and frequent stocking.

Employees should maintain work areas to minimize slip hazards and use appropriate material-handling methods.

Cutting tools should be used and stored safely.

Refrigerators, Coolers and Freezers

Employees working in refrigerated or frozen areas may be exposed to cold temperatures, slippery surfaces, limited space, and material-handling hazards.

Employees should:

• Wear appropriate clothing for the conditions.
• Keep floors reasonably free of ice and other slip hazards.
• Maintain clear access and exit paths.
• Store merchandise securely.
• Follow established procedures for entering and working in refrigerated areas.

Doors, lighting, and emergency-release mechanisms should be maintained where provided.

Machine Guarding

Grocery stores may contain slicers, grinders, mixers, compactors, balers, conveyors, and other powered equipment capable of causing serious injuries.

Required guards and safeguards should remain installed and functional.

Employees should not remove, defeat, or bypass machine safeguards.

Equipment with missing or defective safeguards should be removed from service when necessary until appropriate protection is restored.

Lockout/Tagout

Employees performing servicing or maintenance may be exposed to hazardous electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, thermal, gravitational, or other energy.

Where the Lockout/Tagout standard applies, hazardous energy should be controlled before servicing or maintenance begins.

Simply pressing a stop button or turning a normal operating control to the off position may not adequately isolate hazardous energy.

Only appropriately trained and authorized employees should perform work requiring Lockout/Tagout.

Cleaning Machinery

Cleaning procedures should account for machinery hazards.

Employees should not place hands or other body parts into hazardous areas unless equipment has been placed in an appropriate safe condition.

When cleaning requires removal or bypassing of guards, entry into a danger zone, or exposure to unexpected startup or stored energy, applicable hazardous-energy-control procedures should be followed.

Compactors and Balers

Compactors and balers can create crushing and caught-in hazards.

Only properly trained and authorized employees should operate this equipment.

Employees should:

• Keep access doors and guards in place.
• Never enter a compactor or baler.
• Follow established procedures for jams and malfunctions.
• Keep unauthorized employees away from the equipment.
• Follow applicable Lockout/Tagout procedures during servicing.

Employee age restrictions should be considered when assigning work involving compactors and balers.

Receiving and Loading Dock Safety

Receiving areas can expose employees to trucks, forklifts, pallet jacks, falling merchandise, unstable loads, loading-dock edges, and pedestrian traffic.

Procedures should address:

• Delivery vehicle movement.
• Dock edges.
• Trailer access.
• Pallet handling.
• Material storage.
• Pedestrian routes.
• Forklift traffic.
• Damaged merchandise.
• Housekeeping.

Receiving areas should be kept reasonably organized to reduce congestion and trip hazards.

Loading and Unloading

Employees loading or unloading merchandise should remain aware of vehicle movement, unstable loads, pinch points, and material-handling hazards.

Loads should be evaluated before movement.

Employees should use suitable equipment and obtain assistance when merchandise cannot be safely handled by one person.

Pallet Jack Safety

Manual and powered pallet jacks should be operated according to their design and the manufacturer’s instructions.

Employees should:

• Inspect equipment as required.
• Avoid exceeding rated capacity.
• Maintain control of the load.
• Keep hands and feet clear of wheels and pinch points.
• Travel at a safe speed.
• Maintain visibility.
• Use caution around customers and pedestrians.

Only employees who have received appropriate instruction should operate powered equipment.

Forklift/PIT Safety — When Applicable

Stores using forklifts or other powered industrial trucks should maintain an appropriate Powered Industrial Truck Safety Program.

Only trained and authorized employees should operate powered industrial trucks.

The program should address:

• Operator training and evaluation.
• Pre-use inspections.
• Load capacity.
• Stability.
• Pedestrian safety.
• Traveling and turning.
• Loading and unloading.
• Dock and trailer operations.
• Battery charging or fueling.
• Equipment maintenance.

Hazard Communication

Employees who work with hazardous chemicals should receive information and training appropriate to their exposures.

The Hazard Communication Program should address applicable:

• Chemical inventories.
• Safety Data Sheets.
• Container labeling.
• Employee information and training.
• Non-routine tasks.
• Contractor communication.

Employees should understand how to obtain and use Safety Data Sheets.

Cleaning and Sanitation Chemicals

Grocery stores may use cleaners, degreasers, disinfectants, sanitizers, floor-care products, and other chemicals.

Employees should:

• Follow label and Safety Data Sheet precautions.
• Use required PPE.
• Avoid unauthorized chemical mixing.
• Use established dilution procedures.
• Store incompatible products appropriately.
• Report damaged or leaking containers.

Chemicals should not be transferred into unlabeled containers except as permitted by applicable procedures.

Personal Protective Equipment

PPE requirements should be based on workplace hazard assessments and employee tasks.

Depending on the work performed, PPE may include:

• Safety glasses or goggles.
• Face protection.
• Appropriate gloves.
• Chemical-resistant gloves.
• Cut-resistant protection.
• Protective footwear.
• Hearing protection.
• Protective clothing.

PPE should be properly selected, maintained, and used.

Hand Protection

Hand protection should be selected according to the hazard.

Different tasks may require protection from:

• Cuts.
• Abrasions.
• Chemicals.
• Heat.
• Cold.
• Sharp products or packaging.

Employees should understand the limitations of the gloves provided.

Electrical Safety

Electrical equipment, cords, plugs, receptacles, panels, and appliances should be maintained in safe condition.

Employees should not use damaged electrical equipment.

Electrical panels should remain appropriately accessible.

Only qualified or otherwise authorized personnel should perform electrical work requiring specialized knowledge or training.

Wet cleaning practices should be controlled around electrical equipment.

Extension Cords

Extension cords should be used only where appropriate and should be maintained in good condition.

Cords should not be placed where they create unnecessary trip hazards or are likely to be damaged by carts, equipment, doors, or merchandise.

Damaged cords should be removed from service.

Housekeeping

Good housekeeping is essential in grocery stores because employees and customers frequently share the same areas.

Employees should:

• Remove unnecessary packaging and debris.
• Keep aisles and exits clear.
• Store merchandise securely.
• Clean spills promptly.
• Control cords and hoses.
• Maintain stockrooms in an orderly condition.
• Prevent accumulation of combustible waste.

Waste Handling

Employees handling trash, cardboard, broken products, or damaged containers should be alert for sharp objects, leaking materials, heavy loads, and other hazards.

Appropriate gloves and handling methods should be used where necessary.

Employees should not manually compact trash with their hands or feet.

Fire Prevention

Fire-prevention procedures should address the hazards present within the store.

Potential considerations include:

• Electrical equipment.
• Cooking operations.
• Combustible storage.
• Cardboard and waste accumulation.
• Flammable materials.
• Battery charging.
• Maintenance activities.

Fire extinguishers and other fire-protection equipment should remain accessible.

Emergency Action Plan

Employees should understand the procedures to follow during foreseeable emergencies.

The Emergency Action Plan may address:

• Fire.
• Severe weather.
• Power failure.
• Chemical releases.
• Refrigeration emergencies.
• Workplace violence.
• Medical emergencies.
• Evacuation.
• Shelter-in-place.

Employees should understand alarm methods, exit routes, assembly areas, and emergency reporting procedures applicable to their workplace.

Emergency Exits and Egress

Exit routes should remain accessible and reasonably free of obstructions.

Merchandise, pallets, carts, displays, and other materials should not block required emergency exits or exit access.

Employees should report damaged exit doors, emergency lighting, or exit signs.

First Aid and Medical Emergencies

Stores should establish procedures for obtaining prompt medical assistance.

Employees should understand:

• How to report an injury.
• How to summon emergency assistance.
• Locations of first-aid supplies.
• Procedures for customer or employee medical emergencies.
• Incident documentation requirements.

Only employees with appropriate training should provide first aid beyond their level of competence.

Workplace Violence Prevention

Grocery store employees may interact with customers, handle money, work during early or late hours, or encounter confrontational situations.

Workplace violence prevention measures may include:

• Employee training.
• Procedures for handling threatening behavior.
• Emergency communication.
• Appropriate lighting.
• Access controls.
• Cash-handling procedures.
• Security systems.
• Incident reporting.
• Coordination with law enforcement when appropriate.

Employees should be instructed to prioritize personal safety rather than physically confronting individuals over merchandise or property.

Robbery and Security

Stores should establish procedures appropriate to their security risks.

Employees should understand what to do during a robbery, theft, or threatening situation.

Security procedures should consider store location, operating hours, staffing, cash handling, previous incidents, and other relevant risk factors.

Working Alone — When Applicable

Employees who work alone during opening, closing, stocking, maintenance, or other activities may face increased risk during emergencies.

Where employees work alone, procedures should address communication, emergency assistance, security, and other hazards associated with the work being performed.

Young Workers

Grocery stores frequently employ younger workers, making age-appropriate job assignment particularly important.

Management should ensure that employees are not assigned work prohibited by applicable federal or state youth-employment requirements.

Age restrictions may apply to equipment and tasks such as:

• Power-driven meat slicers and grinders.
• Certain bakery machinery.
• Forklifts.
• Balers.
• Compactors.
• Certain loading and unloading activities.
• Other hazardous power-driven equipment.

Supervisors should know the age of employees assigned to restricted tasks and understand the limitations that apply.

Young workers should receive adequate training and supervision before beginning assigned work.

New and Short-Service Employees

New employees may be unfamiliar with store procedures, equipment, department hazards, and emergency requirements.

Orientation should address:

• General safety rules.
• Department-specific hazards.
• Emergency procedures.
• Injury reporting.
• PPE.
• Equipment restrictions.
• Chemical safety.
• Slips and falls.
• Material handling.
• Workplace violence and security.

Additional supervision should be provided when appropriate until employees demonstrate the ability to perform their assigned work safely.

Grocery Store Safety Training

Safety training should reflect each employee’s assigned work and exposure.

Depending on operations, training may address:

• General grocery store safety.
• Hazard Communication.
• PPE.
• Ergonomics.
• Manual lifting.
• Stocking.
• Knife safety.
• Machine safety.
• Lockout/Tagout.
• Ladder safety.
• Slips, trips and falls.
• Powered equipment.
• Emergency procedures.
• Fire prevention.
• Workplace violence.
• Young-worker restrictions.

Training should be provided before employees independently perform tasks requiring specific knowledge or skills and repeated when required or when circumstances indicate retraining is necessary.

Grocery Store JSA/JHA

Grocery stores can use JSAs/JHAs to document safe work procedures for recurring tasks.

Potential Grocery Store JSAs/JHAs include:

• Stocking shelves.
• Receiving deliveries.
• Unloading trucks.
• Pallet jack operation.
• Forklift operation.
• Ladder use.
• Meat slicer operation.
• Grinder operation.
• Bakery equipment.
• Compactor and baler operation.
• Spill cleanup.
• Material handling.
• Maintenance activities.

Grocery Store Toolbox Talks and Safety Meetings

Short safety meetings can reinforce safe work practices and address current workplace concerns.

Potential topics include:

• Safe lifting.
• Stocking safely.
• Preventing slips and falls.
• Ladder safety.
• Knife and cutter safety.
• Machine guarding.
• Pallet jack safety.
• Customer and pedestrian awareness.
• Chemical safety.
• Workplace violence.
• Emergency procedures.
• Young-worker safety.

Additional Safety Programs

Depending on the store’s operations, additional safety programs may be necessary for:

• Bloodborne Pathogens.
• Respiratory Protection.
• Hearing Conservation.
• Confined Spaces.
• Welding and Hot Work.
• Refrigeration systems.
• Vehicle operation.
• Delivery drivers.
• Contractor safety.
• Hazardous waste.
• Spill response.

These programs should be included when employee activities or workplace hazards make them applicable rather than automatically adding programs that do not relate to the store’s operations.

Building a Grocery Store Safety Manual

A useful Grocery Store Safety Manual should reflect the actual workplace rather than simply combining generic safety policies.

A supermarket with a meat department, bakery, deli, powered material-handling equipment, loading docks, compactors, and extensive food preparation may require substantially more safety programs than a smaller grocery operation.

The manual should consider:

• Store size.
• Departments.
• Employee tasks.
• Equipment.
• Material-handling operations.
• Food preparation.
• Maintenance activities.
• Chemicals.
• Delivery and receiving operations.
• Employee age.
• Workplace security exposures.

Selecting the appropriate programs creates a manual that is comprehensive without filling it with procedures unrelated to the employer’s operations.

Customized Grocery Store Safety Manuals

A Grocery Store Safety Manual can be developed around the specific operations, departments, equipment, and employee exposures of the business.

The finished manual may incorporate applicable programs for stocking, material handling, ergonomics, machine safety, food preparation equipment, Hazard Communication, PPE, emergency procedures, workplace violence, young workers, and other hazards present within the operation.

This provides grocery store and supermarket employers with a practical safety manual organized around the work their employees actually perform.