Every day, thousands of retail employees work in parking lots filled with vehicles, collecting shopping carts, carrying out groceries, and unloading goods, putting them at risk for struck-by injuries. “Motor vehicle incidents are the number one cause of traumatic work-related fatalities in Ontario; many of which are pedestrian struck-by incidents,” says WSPS Consultant Tova Larsen. 

In 2023, a 16-year-old grocery store worker was struck by a snow plow in the parking lot and died. This incident had a devastating impact on the worker’s family, the store and its employees, and the snow plow driver. 

After the young worker’s death, the snow plow driver said he didn’t see the worker. “Lack of visibility is a huge problem in parking lots,” explains Tova. “All vehicles have blind spots, and drivers of larger vehicles often have obstructed views. Weather conditions, obstructions such as snowbanks or shrubbery on parking lot islands, poor lighting, and working at night can amplify the problem. Combined with the close proximity of vehicles, the risk is very high for critical or fatal injuries.”

But that doesn’t mean that incidents are inevitable, says Tova. A multi-factored approach to parking lot safety involves looking at how to reduce the time workers spend in parking lots, how to better protect them when they are there, and how to make them more visible. 

5 ways to protect parking lot workers from struck-by injuries 

Section 20 of the Industrial Regulations requires employers to use barriers, warning signs or other safeguards in areas where vehicle or pedestrian traffic may endanger the safety of any worker. Tova discusses some additional strategies for improving safety in your parking lot.  

1. Reduce the need for workers to be in the parking lot

• Stop carts from entering the parking lot. “Many stores use physical barriers, long poles attached to carts, magnetic barriers or bollards to prevent people from taking carts into the parking lot, eliminating the need for workers to collect them,” notes Tova.
• Locate curbside pickup at the edge of the front sidewalk rather than using spaces in the parking lot. This eliminates the need for workers to cross traffic lanes.

2. Use design elements in the parking lot to lower risks to workers

• Add pedestrian crosswalks with signage, adequate ambient lighting, and flashing warning lights. “Workers can use these pathways to get to and from the store with carts, goods, etc. Drivers will be more alert to their presence,” says Tova.
• Post speed limit signs (no more than 10 km/hour). “Speed, even slow speeds, can kill,” warns Tova.  Research by the American Automobile Association found that 1 in 10 pedestrians struck-by vehicles are seriously injured or killed at impact speeds of just 16 km/h. “Consider adding a live device that shows each driver their actual speed.”
• Use grade-separated or cement barricaded sidewalks, to physically separate pedestrians from traffic.
• Consider speed bumps and/or humps to slow traffic down, especially at approaches to designated pedestrian crossings.

3. Increase the visibility of workers

• Provide and require the use of high visibility vests or uniforms for parking lot work at all times of the day. High-visibility vests use bright, fluorescent colours and reflective materials to make the wearer more visible both day and night. “It’s critical that hi-vis vests are tear away, preferably 5-point,” notes Tova. “Workers have had their high-vis apparel caught on car mirrors and have been dragged to death. Tear away prevents this.”
• Add lights to the worker at night and in winter conditions. A wearable safety light can be clipped to a vest, shirt or hat to provide hands-free and 360° illumination for workers. ”These lights are very durable, and greatly enhance visibility and safety,” explains Tova. “They are a worthwhile investment.”
• Use a powered cart pusher with a strobe light to make workers more visible while also reducing  the risk of musculoskeletal disorders.
• Eliminate blind spots (signs, foliage) that could prevent someone from seeing your workers or workers from seeing vehicles.

4. Develop safe work procedures for parking lots. 

• Have zero tolerance for cell phone or headphone use in parking lots. “Workers need full awareness of their surroundings at all times around vehicles,” says Tova.
• Prioritize winter housekeeping. How will you clear and salt the parking lot and how frequently will it be done? “One of the risks of winter conditions is that workers could slip and fall, and may not be seen by a vehicle driver,” notes Tova.
• Establish “no go” rules. “Set out times when workers must stay out of parking lots,” suggests Tova. “For example, when plows or other heavy equipment is being used, or when poor weather seriously limits visibility.” 

5. Provide awareness and training to parking lot workers

Discuss:

• The risks they face when working around moving vehicles, including struck-by injuries, slips, trips and falls under vehicles, and crushed feet. “In the winter, it’s important to provide safety boots to those who work in parking lots, as well as a traction device attached to footwear called crampons,” says Tova.
•  The danger of blind spots. “Parking lot workers may think they are visible when they are not. Workers who don’t drive may not know that passenger vehicles have blind spots. Even those who do drive may not be aware of how little someone who is driving a large piece of equipment can actually see.” Advise workers that ‘If you can’t see the eyes of a driver, assume they can’t see you,’” explains Tova.
• Review all safety procedures and use of personal protection equipment (PPE). “Ultimately, as with any hazard, employers and supervisors must ensure workers understand how they could be hurt in parking lots, how the organization’s policies and work practices are intended to keep them safe, and their role as workers to follow the policies and practices at all times.”

How WSPS can help

Consulting

WSPS consultants can help you with your pedestrian safety and traffic management needs.

Guides, toolkits & resources

• Hazard Control: Pedestrian Safety for Workers (guide)
• Vehicle & Pedestrian Safety for Small Business (video)
• Pedestrian Safety Guide for Workers in Multiple Languages (guide)

 The information in this article is accurate as of its publication date.