Lone Worker Safety Solutions for the Retail Industry

Retail staff often work alone during early openings, late closings, or while managing deliveries and stock. Lone worker safety devices and apps are essential for protecting employees, reducing risk, and helping your business meet health and safety requirements.
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Lone Worker Safety Stats in the Retail Industry

475,000
Violence and abuse retail incidents in 2022/23 (BRC 2024)
Violence and abuse incidents happen every day in retail (BRC 2024)
1,300
Violence and abuse incidents happen every day in retail (BRC 2024)
People employed in retail in the UK (BRC 2024)
3 million
People employed in retail in the UK (BRC 2024)

Common Lone Worker Risks in Retail

Opening or closing stores alone, often during unsociable hours.
Managing high-value stock deliveries without backup or support.
Customer aggression or abuse, especially during busy trading periods.
Shoplifting incidents that can escalate into safety threats for lone staff.
Heavy lifting and lone work in stockrooms or warehouses.
Handling cash — a common cause of targeted attacks on retail workers.

The ID Touch: A Trusted Lone Worker Device for Retail Staff

It's a personal safety device disguised as an ID badge which means it's very discreet to activate. It’s ideal for store-based lone workers, offering discreet and reliable protection in busy or isolated retail environments.

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Our other devices:

Essential Lone Worker Safety Features for Retail Employees

Explore the essential safety features that help protect lone retail workers — from panic buttons to GPS tracking — supporting staff during late shifts, store openings, and closing times.

How Lone Worker Devices Protect Retail Employees from Risk

Benefits of Lone Worker Safety Solutions in Retail

Enables lone retail workers to request immediate assistance during emergencies.
Supports loss prevention and store security initiatives.
Minimises disruption by enabling faster response to lone worker incidents.
Improves staff wellbeing and enhances retention in high-risk roles.
Supports compliance with HSE lone working regulations in the retail sector.

Protecting Lone Retail Workers with Trusted Safety Solutions for Over 20 Years

"As a driver delivering to our stores, you can sometimes encounter situations that can leave you feeling isolated. The SoloProtect solution gives us peace of mind that if a situation does arise, there is always someone there ready to escalate to the emergency services."

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"The SoloProtect ID has undoubtedly helped our staff feel safer, they know they can quickly raise an alarm if their safety was ever compromised. This has given our staff the confidence and peace of mind to carry out their tasks when working alone."

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"By deploying a SoloProtect lone worker solution we’ve ensured a potentially serious situation was resolved without incident."

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Frequently Asked Questions from Retail Workers

Are there lone workers in the retail sector?

It's crucial to bear in mind that in their daily duties, employees in the retail industry frequently find themselves handling various tasks independently, even when there are other colleagues or customers nearby. Examples of these solitary tasks include entering storage areas or stockrooms unaccompanied, arranging products on shelves, operating cash registers, opening or closing the store solo, making deliveries, overseeing dressing rooms, or providing coverage during lunch breaks. There are more instances of solitary work in the retail sector than you might initially realise.

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How can personal safety devices help with retail security and loss prevention?

Personal safety devices, like panic buttons and wearable alarms, bolster retail security and loss prevention. They offer GPS tracking and a swift connection to our Monitoring Centre in an emergency where operators will facilitate a quick escalation to the emergency services and any on-site security colleagues. Recording capabilities can be used for incident documentation and review, and employee confidence is boosted which positively affects customer service.

Read more in our blog: 8 Reasons Why Personal Safety Devices Should be Part of Your Retail Loss Prevention Strategy

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Which retail job roles are most high risk?

Generally, retail roles which are the highest risk of abuse, violence and aggression are customer-facing staff, such as cashiers, face-to-face customer services and security personnel, those who handle cash, and night shift workers. Drivers delivering high value items and workers who sell goods such as pharmaceuticals and alcohol can also be subject to attacks. All of these are much higher risk if working alone.

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What are the legal requirements for protecting lone workers in the retail sector?

Employers in the UK are legally obligated under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 to ensure the safety of their employees, including those working alone. This includes conducting risk assessments, implementing appropriate safety measures, and providing necessary training. Utilising lone worker safety devices can be a practical approach to meet these legal requirements.

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