Retail - Risk Engineering

3rd Quarter 2015
Retail
Motorized Mobility and
Mobile shopping carts are
meant to be a convenience
to persons with temporary
and long term disabilities.
But without the proper
training, practice, and
maintenance procedures
in place, this equipment
can be a hazard to not
only the operators, but
everyone around them.
Introduction
At present there are (2) basic types
of motorized equipment that can be
found in retail stores and malls; they
are; motorized mobility scooters and
motorized shopping carts.
The first crude mobility scooter was
introduced in 1954 and was advertised by
Sears as an electric wheel chair, but it was
more in common with mobility scooters
with its large seat.
Allan R. Thieme, invented the first
mobility scooter in 1968 that became
a commercial success, in Bridgeport,
Michigan. Thieme was personally
motivated to create this product to help
a family member diagnosed with multiple
sclerosis. This first mobility scooter, a frontwheel drive model, was conceived and
built at his home. The Amigo, was the
brand-name, that started the entire
“scooter” industry.
At present there are (2) basic types of
motorized equipment that can be found in
retail stores and malls; they are; motorized
mobility scooters and motorized shopping
carts. The equipment have a common
purpose in that they are designed to
transport persons with temporary and
permanent disabilities to and from home
and in and around specific destinations
such as supermarkets, the mall and retail
stores. The difference between these two
pieces of equipment can be significant in
weight and speed. Other considerations
are operator training and maintenance of
the equipment.
3rd Quarter 2015
Basic Equipment Types
Mobility Scooters: A mobility scooter has
a seat positioned over three or four wheels,
a flat area or foot plate for the feet, and
handlebars in front to turn one, two or
three steerable wheels. The seat may swivel
to allow access when the front is blocked
by the handlebars. Mobility scooters are
usually battery powered. A battery or two is
stored on board the scooter and is charged
via an onboard or separate battery charger
unit from standard electric power. Gaspowered scooters may also be available in
some countries, though they are rapidly
being replaced by electric models.
Fig. 1 - Mobility Scooter
Fig. 2 - Motorized Shopping Cart
The tiller or handlebars include forward/
reverse directions and speed controls on
the steering column centrally located at
the front of the scooter. Forward/reverse
direction can be controlled by thumb
paddles, finger controls, or a switch.
There are two types of mobility scooters:
front-wheel drive (FWD) or rear-wheel drive
(RWD). The FWD is usually a smaller device
and is best used indoors. Rider weight
capacity is generally upwards to 250
pounds maximum. The RWD is used both
indoors and outdoors with rider weight
capacity of 350 pounds. A heavy duty
rear-drive can carry up to 500 pounds,
and varies by the manufacturer. Speed
varies between 2 miles per hour (MPH)
and 10 mph.
Motorized Shopping Carts: Mobility
scooters can also be known as motorized
shopping carts. Motorized shopping carts
are commonly available in retail stores,
supermarkets, malls, and venues where
there is a large area that allows handicap
persons to travel independently to view or
interact with the activities.
A motorized shopping cart (also known as
electric shopping cart) is a Shopping cart
equipped with an electric motor and
navigational controls. It includes a seat
(often times equipped with an occupant
seat, and a switch activating movement of
the motorized shopping cart from the
occupant's weight) thereby also making
it a motorized wheelchair, and it has a
rechargeable battery that can be charged
by plugging in the device to a standard
outlet. Motorized shopping carts have a
fairly consistent speed of 2 MPH.
The Benefits of Mobility Scooters
and Motorized Shopping Carts
Assistive and small sit-down motor
scooters and carts provide important
advantages to people with mobility issues
throughout the world. A scooter / cart is
useful for persons without the stamina or
arm/shoulder flexibility necessary to use a
manual wheelchair. Also, swiveling the seat
of an electric scooter is generally easier
than moving the foot supports on most
conventional wheelchairs. A mobility
scooter / cart are very helpful for persons
with systemic or whole-body disabling
conditions, such as coronary or lung issues,
some forms of arthritis, obesity, and who
are still able to stand and walk a few steps,
sit upright without torso support, and
control the steering tiller.
Additional benefits of mobility scooters for
many users is that they do not look like a
wheelchair, disability still being seen by
many as a negative or somehow shameful.
Mobility scooters are in general more
affordable than powered wheelchairs,
leading to them being procured as a
cheaper alternative.
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3rd Quarter 2015
Safety Laws and Mobility Scooters
Mobility Scooters can be customer
owned or store / mall owned. The primary
question for both types of Scooters is
the reliability of the maintenance and
familiarity and communication of the
Scooters operational controls.
Within the United States, there are few
laws or regulations that govern Mobility
Scooters and motorized shopping carts.
On the other hand, there have been
significant injuries and damage caused by
persons operating these mobile devices.
The primary cause of these accidents is
not being familiar with the proper
operational skills to maneuver the
scooter/ cart in and around a store or
mall. Another common cause of these
accidents is the physical and mental
capability of the person operating
the device. Capabilities can include;
reduced eyesight, diminished capacity
due to medication, or alcohol, and
limited physical movement (cannot turn
around to view when backing up), etc.
Another common issue is Mobility
Scooter owners are not legally required
to have insurance. This can complicate
the settlement of injuries and damages
as a result of an accident, especially
within the confines of a store or
common area of a mall.
There has been concern over the carts
leading to injuries when used by those
who do not know how to control them.
Injuries can occur to the operator if they
crash into an object with the equipment,
or into another person causing injury.
Frontal crashes leading to injuries and
damage are the most common injury.
Most units have back-up alarms to
warn person(s) when the equipment
is in reverse.
The speed, and the combined weight
of the equipment and the operator of
the scooter or cart is the best indicator
of the severity of the injury or extent
of the damage. Mobility Scooters are
typically faster and heavier than
motorized shopping carts.
Equipment
Speed Range
Weight
Mobility Scooter
2 - 10 mph
250 to 500 lbs.
Motorized
Shopping Carts
1 - 2 mph
250 lbs.
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3rd Quarter 2015
Best Practices
Electric Mobility Scooter and
Motorized Shopping Cart
Maintenance
Mobility Scooters and motorized
shopping carts are very similar to other
types of powered equipment in a store.
The equipment needs to be maintained
and kept in a clean and dry place.
If stored outside, the equipment should
be equipped with a rain cover and kept in
a shed or other dry space. The Equipment
Owner’s Manual should be kept on file.
The Owner’s Manual includes the specific
manufacturer’s recommendations for
operation and maintenance. The Equipment performance is dependent upon
proper maintenance. The critical
maintenance areas of the scooter are;
the battery, tires and wheels, and
cleanliness of the entire unit.
Batteries: Fully charging the battery on
a daily basis helps extend the life of the
battery and ensures the battery works as
efficiently as possible. Not charging the
battery daily could result in a slower
scooter and could result in battery failure.
After use, the battery should be allowed
to cool before charging. This allows
increased conductivity and allows the
battery to reach a maximum charge.
Batteries should always be wiped down
if wet or dirty and stored in a cool, dry
place. The battery should be checked
for signs of corrosion.
Tires and Wheels: Tires need to be
checked daily for punctures or objects
stuck in the tire. Look for signs of cracks
or discolorations. Old or damaged tires
should be replaced immediately. Check
the tire tread and replace if tire is bald.
Periodically check the tire pressure.
Low pressure tires can make the motor
work harder and can eventually destroy
the valve stem. Some scooter tires are
hard rubber and do not require inflation.
Wheels should spin without vibrations
or wobble.
Cleaning and Storage: The scooter
should always be kept clean and dry.
Dirt in any of the moving parts can cause
unnecessary wear and tear. The underside
of the scooter should be checked as well
as the battery terminals and steering rack.
If the scooter gets wet, it needs to be
carefully dried. Wiping down the
scooter will help prevent corrosion.
All maintenance should be documented
and kept on file for each scooter.
Designate a number for each scooter.
If maintenance is done by a local repair
shop, be sure to obtain detailed service
records that include the service date and
mechanic’s name.
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3rd Quarter 2015
Retail Theft of Mobility Scooters
or Motorized Shopping Carts
While shopping cart theft has been a
costly matter for retailers, the higher
cost of the motorized carts makes their
theft a greater issue to the store, and
thereby leads stores to establish policies
prohibiting the carts from leaving the
store property, even though a disabled
person may have the need to bring the
cart all the way to their vehicle.
It is not uncommon to charge a person
with felony theft of a motorized cart due
to its $2,500 to $5,000 value. Such thefts
are rare and difficult to sustain as the carts
are obviously store carts, which are
designed with a maximum speed of two
miles per hour. Most powered operated
mobility devices, such as power chairs and
scooters, have an average maximum speed
of 5 miles per hour, though many are
faster. The baskets and seats are of
commercial strength and the wheels are
much smaller than those of consumer
mobility devices.
Customer Use of Customer
Owned Mobility Scooters or
Store Owned or Leased
Motorized Shopping Carts
While these carts are generally reserved
for the handicapped, most stores will take
a person’s word for being a disabled
person and will not challenge one's need
for a cart. But there have been some cases
reported in which a person with a nonvisible disability has requested the use of
a motorized cart, but has been denied the
use by store management who do not
believe the customer has a disability.
There has also been concern over minors
using the carts, such as persons under 18
with a broken leg or a mental disability
that is not visibly apparent.
Store management should consider
developing policy and procedures on how
customer owned equipment and in-store
equipment is to be used. In addition,
procedures should be considered on
basic training on the operation of the
equipment within the store and keeping
maintenance records on file for the life
of the equipment.
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3rd Quarter 2015
Best Practice Considerations
References
The best practice for controlling this
exposure is to have written procedures
and training for management, employees
and customers on who will be permitted
to operate this equipment within the
store, mall or other venue where the
equipment is available. Your legal
department should review and approve
the procedure prior to implementation
to assure compliance with all local,
state and federal regulations.
Ball, C.L. Demystifying Adult Literacy for
Volunteer Tutors: A reference handbook
and resource guide. 1996. Rpt at
www.nald.ca/library/learning/demyst/
demyst.htm.
Conclusion
The Mobility Scooters and Motorized
Shopping Carts are similar in how they
operate, but due to speed and weight
can pose a significant injury hazard to
both operators, shoppers, merchandise
vendors, contractors and store and mall
employees. Retail environments should
seek legal counsel regarding if motorized
Scooters (privately owned) or Store owned
or leased motorized Shopping Carts
should be allowed to operate within the
premises of individual stores. Best Practices
as discussed above should be considered
in a addition to formal maintenance
recordkeeping and operator training
cards describing how to properly
operate and control the cart.
The Zurich Services Corporation
Risk Engineering
1400 American Lane, Schaumburg, IL 60196-1056
800 382 2150 www.zurichna.com
The information in this publication was compiled from sources believed to be reliable for
informational purposes only. All sample policies and procedures herein should serve as a guideline,
which you can use to create your own policies and procedures. We trust that you will customize
these samples to reflect your own operations and believe that these samples may serve as a
helpful platform for this endeavor. Any and all information contained herein is not intended
to constitute advice (particularly not legal advice). Accordingly, persons requiring advice should
consult independent advisors when developing programs and policies. We do not guarantee the
accuracy of this information or any results and further assume no liability in connection with this
publication and sample policies and procedures, including any information, methods or safety
suggestions contained herein. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any of this
information, whether to reflect new information, future developments, events or circumstances or
otherwise. Moreover, Zurich reminds you that this cannot be assumed to contain every acceptable
safety and compliance procedure or that additional procedures might not be appropriate under the
circumstances. The subject matter of this publication is not tied to any specific insurance product
nor will adopting these policies and procedures ensure coverage under any insurance policy.
©2015 The Zurich Services Corporation
A1-112005696-A (06/15) 112005696
Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia,
“Motorized Shopping Cart” article,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorized_
shopping_cart
Mart Carts help benefit disabled persons,
The Victoria Advocate - August 8, 1993
Electric shopping carts add convenience,
Rome News-Tribune - April 15, 2002
Shopping made easy for handicapped,
Gainesville Sun - June 19, 1985
There are special carts for handicapped
shoppers, The Evening Independent June 19, 1985
Late-Night Joyride On Motorized Shopping
Cart Lands Man In Jail, May 1, 2009
2 Arrested In Shopping Cart Theft,
May 12, 2009