Charity shop operations Risk Assessment Template

Typical hazards & measures

• Unsupervised children in shop — Brief volunteers to monitor children near exits, position fragile or sharp items on higher shelving, and encourage parents to keep children close. Consider designating a safe space or corner with books/toys if space allows.
• Customer parking and vehicle hazards — Mark designated parking bays, keep walkways separate from vehicles with barriers or cones, and use signage to enforce speed limits. At peak times, assign a steward to guide cars safely and prevent congestion near shop entrances.
• Fire safety in shop — Keep escape routes clear of stock, conduct monthly fire extinguisher checks, and test alarms regularly. Volunteers should receive annual fire training, and high-risk areas (storerooms, sorting areas) should display clear evacuation signage.
• Pest control in storage areas — Store donations in sealed bins or containers, clean storerooms weekly, and keep waste separate from stock. Maintain regular pest control checks, and reject donations that arrive contaminated, damp, or showing signs of pest damage.
• Use of cleaning chemicals — Store all chemicals in labelled containers in locked cupboards away from donations. Train volunteers on COSHH basics, provide gloves when required, and ensure ventilation when cleaning. Restrict strong chemicals to staff with specific training.