Laundromat safety for customers

Businesses owners have an obligation to keep their customers safe, and laundromats are no exception. Visitors want to know they can go somewhere to wash their clothes and be out of harm’s way. As the owner of a laundry business, you are responsible for having the necessary security measures and safety warnings available.

Upgrading security measures may involve spending, but they are often needed. Crimes do take place around laundry facilities, even if they are not directly in the store. And equipment mishaps can be costly, because of both insurance payments for any injuries that take place and purchasing upgrades for the broken washers and dryers.

Here are some ways to make sure customers are safe and secure within your store:

Modern lights and cameras
More laundry facilities are going to the 24-hour model to appeal to busy customers. Being open all hours of the day and night can bring people to your store that you otherwise may not have expected. It can also lead to the occasional trouble.

Having a comprehensive lighting system for your business is important, American Coin-Op explained. Both inside the store and outside, a lighting system gives customers the freedom to come and go without fearing they are in danger. Equip your business with environmentally friendly lights to improve safety while reducing costs.

Security cameras also can play an important role in improving a store’s safety. Recording what goes on both in and outside of a business not only helps identify criminals who cause trouble but also discourages people from acting out. A study from the Urban Institute found that crime is reduced when security cameras are present, as people are less likely to commit an illegal act when they are being watched. However, the study found that results were dependent on how the system was set up and how closely it was monitored.

American Coin-Op magazine surveyed laundromat owners about the best way to protect customers, and surveillance systems were the top choice by a wide margin, with 77.8 percent of respondents saying that cameras were their most-utilized security strategy.

When creating a safety system with upgraded lights and cameras, make sure your customers know that you have their security in mind. Informing patrons of your new security upgrades can be a selling point in convincing them to return to your business, as well as informing any potential troublemakers that they are being watched at all times.

Stay up to date
The inside of a laundromat can also pose risks to your customers. Outdated equipment can be dangerous, from old washing machines with loose hinges to steel doors that are difficult to open. Not everything in your business has to be modern and brand new, but the materials inside the laundromat shouldn’t be old and falling apart either.

Take a close look at the washers and dryers your customers use to see that everything is working properly. According to Dexter Laundry, there have been several injuries that have taken place over the years from safety lock doors not closing properly on equipment. This type of problem, if it goes unattended for a period of time, will eventually cost you more in insurance claims than a repair would have.

Other safety issues can be resolved with the simplest of remedies. Wet floors and hot dryers are two of the most common ways patrons hurt themselves in laundromats. Being attentive to dripping water can prevent slips, and putting warning signs on machines that get exceptionally hot are easy ways to prevent injuries from taking place.