Amidst this time of crazy politics and the current pandemic one thing stays constant in the prevention of disease and transference of harmful bacteria is the concept – “wash your hands”. In a retail, restaurant, or grocery environment the Point of Sale (POS) area is an area of greatest concern. It is the area where each customer who has touched things, will touch more things, including the POS credit card reader, bag areas, staging areas, and many other areas able to be touched. While these customers are generally harmless in mindset, they all pose a threat to others and your employees. Each Covid positive carrying customer who touches an item, runs the risk of transferring what they have to the cashier who is receiving that item. That cashier then runs the risk of retouching the next customers items and so on, and so on it goes. Touching money, change, and credit cards, coming from each guest also exposes cashier employees and their future guests to contamination.
Long before mask mandates and the CDC promoting the use of masks to reduce spray, moisture particles, and droplets from people’s mouths, washing hands has been the “go to” strategy for the reduction of illness and food bacteria for decades. Washing hands is a strategy worth considering not only for Covid reduction, but colds, flu, or bacterial transfer as well. Sanitizer, washing down the station, and washing hands between guests might be slightly burdensome, but today, probably well
appreciated and accepted all things considered.
Setting up for success is easy but does take the right mindset, planning, and supplies. Each POS needs gloves for cashiers, sanitizer (one for customers, and one for cashier).Other methods might be more prudent or successful. Crédit Card Machines, belts, and areas around the POS frequently sanitized will be more inviting to your customer when they can approach a clean and safe checkout experience rather than wonder if they are contracting something.
The point however is to stop the transfer of anything at the POS and not expose the next guest or your employee. It's the right thing to do and it has worked for many years of past.
About the Author – John Peterson - Safety Expert is a Commercial Safety Expert who specializes in Service, restaurant and retail, and commercial property safety. John evaluates safety plans, prevention plans, and strategies for slip, trip, and fall prevention. John also evaluates incidents involving striking, collisions, colliding with, or materials handling events where someone was hit or struck by equipment. For more information, please visit our website at www.rlcsafety.com.
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