[Familyofmonkeys]

I went to Pack 'n' Save for the first time today. Half way round I realised that all those cratees of stock way up high above the isles were not in cages. There I as with a double buggy and another child in the trolley and I suddenly realised that if there was a bigish quake, like the one this week...all those crates would come crashing down on our heads before we had a chance to unstrap all the kids and take cover somewhere....chilling thought :uhoh

Aren't there regulations to prevent these kind of risks?

[ourquest]

That is a very interesting observation and I cannot believe there is not some sort of regulation requiring the restraint of the crates/pallets on the shelves. Let's pursue this one and see if we can get some clarity, I am not in NZ now otherwise I would literally go in one today and start asking a few questions, but maybe someone in paradise feels up to the task?

There will also be some government website listing regulations. We'll just need to find it.

Again, well spotted.

[ellenmelon]

reason five million why i dont shop at pak n save really.

[ourquest]

I have just done a google search in every which way I can which has not revealed anything relevant.

Although ellenmelon reserves the right to choose where to shop based on the colour yellow and earthquake risk (amongst 4999998 other reasons) I really think that familyofmonkeys has raised a point with relevance well beyond any particular retailer.

In general terms the regulations will depend on the risk...with NZ having various earthquake zones assigned it would be in the areas of highest risk (a band across central North Island) that would be most likely to have the strictest regulations imposed. But intelligent hazard management is all about predicing dangers without necessarily ever having seen the direct results of these type of events, and I have no doubt that retailers employing bulk storage on high shelving will have either thought about the danger or have received information indicating that it is a scientifically insignificant risk.

With the recent Gisborne quake it is fresh on everyone's minds, but ultimately the risk is very remote that anyone would get seriously injured or killed during an earthquake in New Zealand.

Still, I for one would still like some idea of the retailer's policy, more for knowing that it has been considered rather than my own concern about shopping there. After all, it isn't our own safety so much as anyone else's that we should be concerned about, and during an earthquake chances are good that even if you are not shopping, someone else will be.

[ellenmelon]

i could be wrong, but im pretty sure that not ALL of PnS's are like that...but its been a while since ive been in one.
ourquest-the health and safety requirements for storage at height may not be specific to the retailers..they may come under something else..if you get what i mean? i know that in the theatre industry we follow the health and safety in the workplace act but we also have a guide to workplace h&s as the theatre/entertainment industry is so unique and we do things sometimes that go 'against' the 'regular' h&s in employment act...then we have places like wardrobe who are considered a factory..etc etc

[Lupin]

reason five million why i dont shop at pak n save really.

Love it :)

[ellenmelon]

Love it :)

one of my more overused phrases but it is so multipurpose :D richie (OH) hates the place so thats one of the reasons! so woolworths it is!

[ykkee]

where was the e-quake happened? welly? or auckland? southern island city such as chch has e-quake as well?

[dilanium]

http://www.geonet.org.nz/earthquake/quakes/recent_quakes.html

This link shows a map of the last 30 earthquakes in NZ. They appear to be all over the country. If you read the details it will describe when it occurred and how bad it was.

[gonzo]

one of my more overused phrases but it is so multipurpose richie (OH) hates the place so thats one of the reasons! so woolworths it is!

Must admit that I thought Push and Shove was owned by Woolworths certainly has a very similar stocking policy

[jubjub]

Pak N Save is owned by the same people as new World (foodstuffs). woolworths is same group as countdown and foodtown (progressive)