• What law applies
• What are personal security measures?
• Risk factors and ways to address them
  • Point of sale area setup
  • Retail workplace setup
  • Doors, windows and roofs
  • Cash management procedures
  • Opening and closing for business
  • Working when it is dark or working alone
  • Staff training
  • Areas beyond the retail workplace
  • Surviving a robbery – and afterwards

• Risk Management
• Cash in transit

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Cash management procedures

Security conscious cash management procedures aim to make cash less visible and less accessible during handling, storage and transfer.

Risk factors

• Careless or reckless behaviour when handling cash
• Excess money stored in the cash drawer
• Regular cash transfer routine (which can be observed by a potential offender)
• A safe that is visible to customers
• A money bag that is visible as it is carried to the bank

Suggested measures

• Train staff in cash management procedures, what to do if people behave suspiciously and how to react during a robbery
• Use an audible device that indicates when the cash drawer is opened
• Open the cash drawer only when a customer is paying for merchandise, and close it before merchandise is packaged
• Where possible, lock the cash drawer and remove the key when it is not in use
• Ensure that the cash drawer is empty when the workplace is unattended
• Transfer excess money frequently but randomly from the cash drawer to a locked safe. Do this during a low risk time and in a way that is not obvious to customers
• Lock the safe at all times when it is not in use, and locate it in a place that is not obvious to customers
• Regularly change the combination to the safe and have a limited number of keys
• Install a safe with time delay locks or two key opening systems
• Count cash in a secure room
• Encourage cashless purchasing such as credit cards and EFTPOS
• Display a sign advertising the security measures in place or advising that cash is not kept on the premises
• Use a professional cash collection service to transfer cash
• Assign the banking to more than one person and rotate the task. Ensure that other staff have an estimated time of return so that an alarm can be raised if necessary
• Use a bank close to the workplace (to avoid taking public transport) and deposit money several times a day
• Do not advertise the fact that you are going to the bank with cash (eg. carrying a marked money bag or wearing a workplace uniform). If walking to the bank, keep to busy rather than deserted streets
• If driving to the bank, keep the car doors locked at all times, vary the route regularly and do not leave the vehicle en route
• If ordering a taxi to go to the bank, ask the operator to advise the number of the assigned taxi

For more information, read the Guide to Personal Security in the Retail Industry (PDF, 434 KB).

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