Usdaw issues Checkout Checklist to stamp out back pain at the tills

Retail union Usdaw is issuing a simple ten point Checkout Checklist to help Britain’s three million retail workers stamp out back pain for till operators who are shifting several metric tonnes of goods during an average shift.

Britain’s biggest retail union is issuing the checklist in support of the TUC’s national safety inspection day launched tomorrow (Wednesday) and as a part of the Health and Safety Executive’s Better Backs campaign.

The checklist covers basic safety issues like whether the seat is suitable for the operator, are operators properly trained to use the till, is the area around the checkout clean and tidy, do operators have regular breaks, is the till properly maintained and is the temperature comfortable for heavy manual work.

“There is no doubt that working at the checkout in a busy supermarket is tough manual labour which is why we’ve issued this easy to use checklist,” says Usdaw General Secretary John Hannett. “While much good work has been done on checkout design our members still report serious back problems caused by unloading baskets or trolleys, packing heavy customer goods, inadequate seating and even cold temperatures or draughts.

“This simple checklist allows our members to properly assess how safe their workplace is and work with their managers to improve the tills which are the busiest part of any store.

“Our checklist is designed to prevent back problems developing by eliminating bad practice or poor design, but it also aims to help those with back problems continue to work instead of going off sick needlessly.

“The Better Backs campaign has really raised the profile of back problems suffered by thousands of shop staff and our army of on-site health and safety reps will use this checklist all year round to make sure we keep on top of this serious problem.”

Shop staff can download the checklist from the health and safety sub-site at www.usdaw.org.uk/healthandsafety and more detailed advice can be obtained from Usdaw’s full-time safety advisors at their Manchester headquarters.

Notes to Editors:

• Contacts for newsdesks: Usdaw’s Media Officer, Paul Clarke, can be contacted on 0161 249 2469 or e-mail paul.clarke@usdaw.org.uk.
• Usdaw (the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK’s fifth biggest trade union, with over 340,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemicals and other trades.
• More information and news releases are available at our online Newsroom.
• Journalists can subscribe to receive Usdaw news releases via our online e-news service.

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© 2003 (USDAW) Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers
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