Nov 24, 2009 11:15 pm US/Eastern
Group Urges Safety This Black Friday
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
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Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images
Black Friday is the annual hunt for deals, but it turned deadly last year when shoppers trampled a man to death. Now that incident is prompting a warning to all Maryland retailers.
Kelly McPherson explains what local stores are doing to make sure nothing violent happens here.
The promise of a doorbuster bargain can trigger unruly shoppers. Early bird shoppers trampled a Wal-Mart employee to death during last year's Black Friday in Nassau County, N.Y. That incident is putting a focus on safety for Maryland malls this year.
"Not allowing people who are lining up for sales to line up directly in front of the door. You want to be able to have some distance so you don't have a situation where the doors are just beginning to separate and people are rushing in," said Bernie Kohn with Maryland Occupational Safety and Health. "Those are situations that can be very dangerous if the crowd is not handled properly and you don't have the right procedures."
Some stores also have seasonal employees, who may not have been trained properly.
Arundel Mills has seven mall entrances, so they don't expect too long of a line outside. But if that does happen, they have plans to avoid the stampede into the mall.
"We open our doors very early to make sure we don't have a huge crowd mentality at our entrances. We want people to come inside, be warm and be comfortable," said Wendy Ellis, Arundel Mills.
Keeping shoppers entertained can help calm any aggressive bargain hunters.
"There's lots going on. We're going to be open for 22 straight hours and we'll have carolers, we'll have entertainment. It's just a lot of fun," Ellis said.
Some malls are opening at 11 p.m. Thursday. Other big box stores are opening early Friday morning. Do your research to figure out your plans.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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