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Mall Safety Checklist

Malls might seem like very safe places for shopping, dining and entertainment, and usually they are. However, without taking some precautions to safeguard yourself and your possessions, things can go wrong in a shopping mall. Accidents, attacks and theft should be guarded against. A mall safety checklist can help identify potential problems and how to avoid them.

  1. Shopping Cart Safety

    • According to Safe Kids USA, as many as 20,000 children, most of them below the age of five, are injured in shopping cart-related accidents every year. These injuries often happen when a child falls from a shopping cart or in rarer instances, when a shopping cart tips over. The injuries usually affect the head or neck and may result in a cut, bruise or fracture. This type of hazard can be prevented by staying close to your cart at all times while shopping; prevent young children from pushing carts with their younger siblings in it.

    Personal Safety

    • If you must go to the mall at night, use your common sense to prevent a physical attack. Do not stray too far from lighted areas or where there are other people. Parking lot are often isolated. Ask a security officer to accompany you back to your car, especially if you are carrying a lot of packages. Try to use bathrooms that are close to well-trafficked areas like the food court and always accompany a young child to the bathroom; do not leave a child alone at any time while in the mall. Avoid carrying large amounts of cash and use a credit or check card as much as possible.

    Escalator Safety

    • The escalator is a potential source of injuries like mangled hands and feet, lacerations and head injuries. An escalator is not a place for young children to play. Supervise them and lift them out of the way of moving and stationary parts of the handrail and the machinery of the comb plate at the top and bottom of the moving stairs. When you have a lot of packages, use the elevator instead of the escalator to avoid any accidents from tripping and from obstructing the view of other riders.

    Pickpockets

    • It is easy to become a prey for pickpockets and other criminals while jostling through a crowded mall and trying to balance many shopping bags at once. To reduce the possibility of losing your purse or wallet to thieves, men should put their wallets in the front pocket of their pants and women should hold their purses close to their bodies. Keep an eye on your packages so that no one will grab anything from your shopping bag while you are distracted.

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