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In the retail industry, where customer interactions are paramount but workplace violence still remains a continuous issue. Especially in the United States, retail stands as a cornerstone industry of the whole economy, providing employment opportunities for approximately a quarter of American workforce. Despite its vital role, retail workers often find themselves in unsafe and threatening working environments.

Facing the rising tide of violence in retail workplaces, both the U.S. government and innovative technologies are stepping up to enhance worker protection. One key technology making a significant impact is the Internet of Things (IoT), which excels in providing retailers with unprecedented visibility and real-time management during emergencies. Explore the current state of the retail work environment in the USA and discover how government policies, along with our cutting-edge IoT solutions, are driving meaningful change.

Worker Safety Crisis: Rising Violence

Recently, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) has revealed alarming statistics regarding to the safety of retail workers. Nearly three fifths of retail workers have experienced verbal threats or intimidating conducts at workplace. This not only includes threats from customers, but also even colleagues and supervisors.

Beyond verbal aggression, survey shows that retail workers also face other forms of violence and harassments, such as active shooters, physical assaults, thefts, and also robbery. Especially those workers who frequently handle cash or valuable merchandise, are typically potential targets for criminals. Such incidents pose significant dangers and create a hostile work environment, affecting both mental and physical health of these workers. These survey results present enhancing the retail operation and safety has become a critical topic in USA.

Basic Rights Protection: Law Passed

In response to these grim realities, the New York State government enacted the Retail Worker Safety Act (RWSA) S. 8358B/A. 8947C last September, marking a proactive step to protect the safety of retail workers. This act mandates that employers with 10 or more workers implement a comprehensive array of measures, including workplace violence prevention policy employment, necessary emergency trainings, etc.

The majority of these provisions outlined will take into effect in March. Notably, under this RWSA, all retail employers with more than 500 employees are required to equip their staff with easily accessible or wearable panic buttons before 2027. This move could be a critical step in ensuing retail workers get immediate access to help in potentially dangerous situations.

Innovative Safety Protector: MOKO IoT Solution

In the light of this new legislation, one vital technology worth mentioning is the IoT. IoT-driven solution is transforming the method for employee safety to be more transparent and convenient. MOKOSMART, a leading IoT hardware manufacturer in China, always take personnel safety into priority consideration. Our tailored IoT solutions, aiming to provide workers with a greater sense of security, takes its role because of various features such as real-time monitoring, panic buttons, and emergency alerts.

Within the indoor retail situations, our robust Bluetooth-powered devices show excellent capabilities. B3 Emergency Button, leveraging Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology, has a prominent and easily accessible button with support for trigger functions. This ensures workers have quick and effective access to seek help in any emergencies. Moreover, we also provide several wearable BLE badges with easy-to-press SOS button, including B2 Smart Badge, H3 Pro Button and H5 Pro RFID Badge. Through our gateway like MKGW3 Indoor PoE Gateway, the information of emergency cases is able to transmit to the server for further timely management.

Apart from the BLE solution, we also offer IoT solutions utilizing LoRaWAN technology and cellular networks, tailored for potential outdoor situations. For the LoRaWAN solution, we provide smart badges equipped with SOS button, namely LW004 Panic Button, LW006-SB Smart Badge and LW010 Card Tracker. These SOS buttons, when pressed by workers, will transmit emergency signals through the LoRa gateway MKGW2-LW to the manager via a server for prompt action. Similarly, our PS101-M Smart Badge, key role of our cellular solution, operates in the same principle but transmits data directly via cellular networks, eliminating the need for an extra gateway. Such innovative IoT solutions not only meet the RWSA requirements, but also go beyond by offering a more reliable and user-friendly solution to mitigate potential risks.

As the retail landscape continues to evolve, embracing IoT technology is becoming increasingly critical in the fight against workplace violence. By leveraging advanced technology, MOKOSMART is helping to create a safer and more secure working environment. As the RWSA comes into full effect, MOKOSMART stands ready to support retail employers in the efforts to comply with this new law and protect the well-beings of their employees to the maximum. Reach out us now for more detailed information about how to protect your employees from workplace violence!