Preparing your business for changing risks across retail and its supply chain.
Global events are creating uncertainty across supply chains, and there is a real possibility that disruption will affect how work gets done across the retail sector and its supply chain. In situations like this, it’s natural to focus on operational priorities, but if disruption occurs, the risks your people are exposed to will change as well.
This guidance has been developed to help you prepare for that possibility. It highlights how supply and fuel disruption can shift the safety of everyday work, and what you can do now to stay ahead of it.
It brings together key risks and practical actions for leaders, managers, and frontline teams across retail, transport, warehousing and manufacturing, so you can protect the health, safety and wellbeing of your people if conditions become more pressured and unpredictable.
What is happening
The current disruption to oil shipments through the Straits of Hormuz is creating significant uncertainty across global supply chains. For businesses in Aotearoa New Zealand’s retail, transport, warehousing, and manufacturing sectors, this has real and immediate consequences – not just for product availability and costs, but for the safety and wellbeing of kaimahi/workers.
Because this crisis directly affects oil supply, fuel shortages and rising fuel costs are a specific and likely outcome. Petrol and diesel supply constraints flow through to every part of the supply chain — from transport and logistics to warehouse operations, manufacturing processes, and the ability of workers to get to and from work. If fuel rationing occurs, the pressure on people and operations intensifies significantly.
Ultimately, this is a fuel-driven disruption that will affect how work gets done across every part of the supply chain.
Why this is a safety issue
Research into supply chain management during crises shows that disruptions create compounding effects. A single shock – like a shipping route closure – can cascade through supply networks, triggering demand surges, stock shortages, changed delivery patterns, and workforce pressure. These disruptions go beyond logistics . They directly affect the physical and psychological safety of workers.
Previous supply chain disruptions have been examples for us. Across the retail sector in particular, supply shortages drove panic buying, which led to increased manual handling injuries from irregular stock flows, a sharp rise in customer violence and aggression directed at frontline kaimahi, greater fatigue and stress from extended hours and changed work patterns, and increased risk from temporary or unfamiliar workers brought in to fill gaps. Transport and warehousing workers faced longer shifts, changed routes, and pressure to move goods faster. Manufacturing workers dealt with material substitutions, unfamiliar processes, and supplier changes that introduced new hazards.
When supply changes, the way work is done changes – which is where new risks emerge.
What this means for your business
In addition to commercial risk, supply chain crises change the risk environment your people work in. When hazards shift, the pressures increase and the controls you have in place for normal operations may not be enough. When fuel is directly affected, the disruption reaches into every part of your operation, including your workers’ ability to get to work safely. Acting early makes the difference.
Who this guidance is for
This guidance is for leaders, managers, health and safety representatives, and frontline supervisors across ShopCare sectors: retail, transport, warehousing, and manufacturing. It provides practical steps you can take now to protect your people as supply chain pressures build.
The safety risks to your people
Supply disruptions affect each sector differently, but the underlying pattern is the same: normal routines break down, pressure increases, and familiar controls may no longer match the actual risks. When fuel shortages are part of the picture, the risks are compounded further.
Retail
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- Customer aggression and violence — stock shortages and rationing trigger frustration, verbal abuse, and physical threats directed at frontline staff. If your business includes forecourt retail or petrol stations, fuel rationing makes this an acute risk.
- Irregular stock and manual handling — unpredictable deliveries mean unplanned receiving, rushed restocking, and heavier or awkward loads handled under time pressure.
- Fatigue and stress — extended hours, roster changes, and the emotional toll from dealing with distressed or aggressive customers.
- Staffing gaps from commute disruption — if workers cannot afford or get access to fuel to get to work, roster gaps emerge and remaining staff are stretched thinner, increasing fatigue and injury risk.
Transport and logistics
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- Fuel pressure on drivers — diesel shortages create pressure to consolidate loads into heavier vehicles, change routes to find fuel, and make up lost time. Drivers may queue for extended periods then rush to meet deadlines.
- Vehicle breakdowns and unsafe stops — vehicles running low on fuel risk breakdowns in unsafe locations, exposing drivers to roadside hazards.
- Fatigue and time pressure — changed routes, longer trips, and fuel-related delays compound fatigue. There is real risk of driving hours and break requirements being compromised.
- Unfamiliar loads — consolidated or substituted freight changes load profiles, weight distribution, and handling requirements.
- Mental health and isolation — uncertainty about job security, rising costs, and extended time away from whānau.
Warehousing
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- Equipment fuel and power risks — many forklifts run on diesel or LPG. If fuel is rationed, operations may shift to fewer machines running harder, or manual handling increases to compensate. Backup generators for cold storage may also be affected.
- Spoiled or compromised stock — if cold chain fails due to fuel or power issues, workers end up handling damaged, spoiled, or temperature-compromised goods.
- Changed workflows and congestion — irregular inbound shipments create bottlenecks, congestion, and rushed processing.
- Contractor and temporary worker safety — additional labour brought in without adequate induction, training, or supervision.
Manufacturing
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- Material substitutions — alternative raw materials or components may introduce unfamiliar chemical, mechanical, or handling hazards.
- Process changes — modified production runs, changed sequences, or unfamiliar machinery settings to accommodate different inputs.
- Energy and process fuel disruption — manufacturing processes reliant on diesel or gas-powered equipment may face shutdowns or modified operations, introducing unfamiliar start-up, shutdown, or workaround procedures with associated risks.
- Workforce pressure — production targets maintained despite disruption, leading to shortcuts, fatigue, and reduced attention to safety procedures.
Risks across all sectors
Fuel shortages create financial stress on workers through rising commute and living costs – a psychosocial risk that compounds everything else. Workers unable to get to work reliably push remaining staff harder. Uncertainty about job security, increased workload, changed routines, and exposure to aggressive behaviour all take a toll on mental health and wellbeing. These risks are just as real as physical hazards and need to be actively managed.
What you can do now
The following practical actions are organised around three phases – preparing now, managing during the disruption, and recovering afterwards – followed by sector-specific controls. The actions below are designed to help you stay ahead of risk as conditions change.
Prepare now
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- Review your risk assessments — identify which tasks and roles will be most affected by supply and fuel disruption. Update risk assessments to reflect changed conditions, including fuel-dependent operations and equipment.
- Brief your people — talk to your teams about what may be coming. Open communication reduces anxiety and helps workers prepare mentally.
- Train for customer aggression — ensure frontline retail staff (including forecourt workers) have de-escalation training and know how to respond safely. Review escalation procedures.
- Check fatigue management plans — particularly for transport and warehousing. Ensure rosters, break schedules, and driving hours are realistic under disrupted conditions.
- Plan for commute disruption — consider how workers will get to work if fuel becomes scarce or expensive. Explore carpooling, adjusted rosters, or remote work where possible.
- Plan for temporary labour — prepare induction materials, buddy systems, and supervision plans now for any additional workers you may need to bring in.
- Review fuel-dependent operations — identify equipment and processes that rely on diesel, LPG, or petrol. Plan for rationing scenarios, including manual handling alternatives and backup power for cold storage.
- Review contractor and supplier safety information — ensure safety data sheets are current and that any new suppliers or contractors meet your safety standards before they start.
During the disruption
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- Increase supervisor presence — more visible leadership on the floor, in the yard, and on site helps maintain safety standards and gives workers a point of contact.
- Monitor and adjust — regularly check that controls are working. Watch for early signs of fatigue, stress, injury trends, or near misses and act quickly.
- Maintain communication — keep staff informed about what is happening, what to expect, and what support is available. Uncertainty drives stress — information reduces it.
- Protect frontline workers from violence — consider additional security presence, signage about acceptable behaviour, and clear processes for removing aggressive customers. Especially important at forecourts and during stock rationing.
- Do not let safety standards slip — resist pressure to cut corners on inductions, training, supervision, or maintenance. Crises create the conditions where shortcuts cause serious harm.
- Support mental health — check in with your people regularly. Make sure they know about Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) and other support available. Recognise that financial stress from fuel costs is real and affects concentration and wellbeing.
After the disruption
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- Debrief and learn — review what happened, what worked, and what did not. Capture these lessons so you are better prepared next time.
- Check on your people — the effects of stress and high-pressure periods often show up after the crisis passes. Watch for signs of burnout, disengagement, or delayed stress.
- Update your plans — use what you have learned to update risk assessments, emergency plans, and safety procedures for future disruptions.
Sector-specific actions
In addition to the actions above, each sector has specific controls that should be considered. These are targeted at the risks most likely to affect your people.
Retail
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- Customer-facing signage — put up clear signage about stock limits or rationing before customers reach the counter or service point. Setting expectations early reduces confrontation.
- Duress alarms and safe retreat — ensure frontline and forecourt staff have working duress alarms and know their safe retreat procedures. Test these now, not during an incident.
- Store layout during rationing — consider controlled entry, queue management, and barriers to manage customer flow during high-demand periods. Physical separation protects staff.
- Rostering for commute disruption — build specific contingency rosters for when staff cannot get to work. Identify who lives locally, who can carpool, and what the minimum safe staffing level is for each shift.
- Forecourt-specific protocols — if you operate petrol stations, develop specific protocols for fuel rationing scenarios including customer communication, queue management, and staff withdrawal procedures if situations escalate.
Transport and logistics
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- Fuel management protocols — set a minimum safe fuel threshold so drivers never drop below a level that risks breakdown in an unsafe location. Make this a clear, non-negotiable rule.
- Pre-trip route planning — plan routes that account for fuel availability and safe refuelling stops. Do not leave drivers to solve fuel access problems on the road.
- Load safety checks for consolidated freight — when loads are consolidated into fewer or heavier vehicles, require specific load safety checks for weight distribution, securing, and vehicle capability. Do not assume standard load plans still apply.
- Breakdown safety kits — ensure all vehicles carry roadside breakdown safety equipment including high-visibility gear, warning triangles, and torches. Brief drivers on safe breakdown procedures.
- Driving hours are non-negotiable — make it explicitly clear that driving hour limits and break requirements apply regardless of fuel-related delays. No exceptions. Build buffer time into schedules to account for queuing and route changes.
Warehousing
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- Manual handling transition plan — if forklifts cannot operate due to fuel rationing, have a documented plan for transitioning to manual handling. This must include revised task risk assessments, safe weight limits, team lifting protocols, and additional rest breaks.
- Cold chain failure protocols — document clear procedures for identifying and safely handling spoiled or temperature-compromised goods, including disposal requirements and personal protective equipment needs.
- Updated traffic management — if forklift numbers are reduced, update your traffic management plan to reflect changed vehicle and pedestrian flows. Fewer forklifts does not mean lower risk – remaining machines will be working harder.
- Fast-track induction for temporary workers — prepare a specific, shorter induction package for temporary workers entering changed operations. Cover the essentials: key hazards, emergency procedures, who to report to, and what has changed from normal operations.
Manufacturing
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- Safe shutdown and start-up procedures — document and communicate safe procedures for shutting down and restarting fuel-dependent equipment. Unfamiliar shutdowns and cold starts are high-risk moments.
- Substitute material hazard assessment — complete a hazard assessment for any substitute raw materials or components before they arrive on site. Do not introduce new materials into production without understanding the changed risks.
- Updated safe work method statements — if production processes are modified to accommodate different inputs or reduced fuel, update your safe work method statements and brief all affected workers before the changes take effect.
- New supplier safety review — when onboarding new suppliers, require complete safety data sheets and specifications before accepting materials. Gaps in hazard information put your workers at risk.
Putting this guidance into action
This guidance will be most effective when it is actively used across your business. Share it with your leadership team, health and safety representatives (HSR’s), safety champions, and frontline supervisors so there is a shared understanding of how supply disruption may affect your people.
We recommend putting this on the agenda for your next operational or leadership meeting. Use it to:
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- Identify where your risks are likely to change
- Agree on the actions you will take now
- Confirm how you will support your people if conditions escalate
Starting these conversations early helps ensure that safety remains a priority, even when decisions need to be made quickly.
ShopCare resources to support you
ShopCare provides free training, guidance, and tools that directly support the actions in this document. The following resources are available now at www.shopcare.org.nz
VAB de-escalation training
Online training for customer-facing teams and store managers on handling angry, aggressive, or potentially violent customers. Covers situational awareness, de-escalation techniques, staying safe when a situation cannot be de-escalated, and a manager’s module on preparing and supporting your team.
shopcare.org.nz/courses/de-escalation-programme
VAB psychosocial training
Created in partnership with Umbrella Wellbeing. Two modules designed by organisational psychologists: aftermath wellbeing (supporting your people immediately after a confronting event) and long-term wellbeing (strategies for sustained recovery). Relevant for all workers exposed to aggression or high-stress conditions during the disruption.
shopcare.org.nz/courses/psychosocial-training
Managing workplace VAB in NZ retail — guidance document
Comprehensive guidance on managing violence and aggressive behaviour in retail workplaces. Covers risk assessment, control measures including duress alarms and safe retreat procedures, store layout, de-escalation, incident response, and post-incident support.
shopcare.org.nz/courses/resource-library/lessons/managing-workplace-vab-in-nz-retail
Early notification and intervention of discomfort or pain — good practice guidelines
Practical guidelines for early reporting and intervention when workers experience discomfort or pain. Includes a staff poster, flowchart for appropriate treatment, reporting form, and employer checklist. Particularly relevant where workers are transitioning to increased manual handling due to fuel rationing or changed stock flows.
4Ds digital learning tools
The 4Ds framework (Dumb, Dangerous, Difficult, Different) helps spot friction in everyday work before it leads to harm. During a supply chain crisis, the way work gets done changes — processes are modified, unfamiliar tasks are introduced, and routines are disrupted. The 4Ds give supervisors and frontline workers a practical way to identify what has changed and where new risks are emerging, without blame or judgement. Includes online training modules and downloadable guides for leaders, HSRs, and safety champions.
shopcare.org.nz/courses/4ds-digital-learning-tools
About ShopCare
ShopCare provides guidance, training, and collective expertise to help the entire retail ecosystem create healthier, happier, and safer working environments for all kaimahi/workers.
Funded by ACC, we provide practical tools, training, and guidance designed specifically for the real challenges faced by teams and leaders in retail, transport/logistics, warehousing and manufacturing. Our focus is on helping you protect your people, strengthen your safety capability, and respond confidently to changing risks – like those presented by supply chain disruption.
ShopCare is free to access, with no membership or joining fees. Join our community at www.shopcare.org.nz/join-us to stay connected and receive the latest resources, insights, and support.
This guidance draws on international research into supply chain management during crises, including systematic reviews of crisis-driven operational strategies and EU-OSHA research into occupational safety within supply chain networks.