Finally – it’s summer. The season we’ve all been waiting for! After being cooped up all winter, Canadians are more excited than ever to head out to their favourite markets to pick up local produce, homemade goods, and tasty treats. 

As we prepare for a busy season, it’s important to ensure you’re taking all the necessary precautions to enjoy a safe, happy summer at the market. At Duuo, our goal is to provide farmers’ market vendors with the coverage they need to feel protected in the event something does go wrong, but that doesn’t mean vendors can’t take steps of their own to help mitigate potential risk. 

In this blog, we’ve outlined some tips on how to make sure your market stand is extra secure so you can get ready to show off your goods confidently at the market this summer! 

Tripping hazards can be things like cords, containers, pop-up signs, and canopy stakes or guylines. Ground equipment like canopy weights, produce, and other stand equipment can also be a tripping hazard should a market attendee accidentally come into contact with it. Make sure to do a quick survey around your market stand and ensure that all tripping hazards are well out of the way of any shoppers or their children before the market opens to the public.

Falling hazards can become particularly dangerous in the event of a weather change. In this situation, you’ll want to be sure not only that your canopy or stand is secured to the ground, but any shelving you have in your stand cannot be pulled down or knocked over. Prior to the start of the event, make sure to do a quick wind-test at your market stand to ensure everything is properly secured and fastened, so that if wind picks up or a storm begins, your items will stay put.

Falling hazards can become particularly dangerous in the event of a weather change. In this situation, you’ll want to be sure not only that your canopy or stand is secured to the ground, but any shelving you have in your stand cannot be pulled down or knocked over. Prior to the start of the event, make sure to do a quick wind test at your market stand to ensure everything is properly secured and fastened, so that if wind picks up or a storm begins, your items will stay put.

As you start to unpack your stand items, it’s important to display them in a way that is eye-catching to your potential customers while making sure they’re safe to interact with. Don’t stack anything that customers may not be able to safely grab, or have anything in a position where one item is taken and the rest of your items come crashing to the ground.

If your market stand features any items that could be hazardous if a shopper or their child interacts with them incorrectly, make sure to keep them safely stored during market hours. This can include things like glassware, scissors, box cutters, produce trimming knives, craft making tools, equipment etc. If breakables/sharp objects are crucial to your stand and must be displayed, consider putting out some signage that lets guests know they cannot take or touch any items and must ask a stand attendant if they would like to hold anything.

If your market stand features the sale of food, it’s crucial to follow food safety practices when serving anything edible to market attendees. This includes practices like ensuring any food that could potentially spoil is kept at the proper temperature, food served is fresh and not sitting around all day, food expiration dates are closely monitored, etc. In general, you want to make sure your customers are getting the best quality food, significantly reducing the risk of them getting sick as a result of your stand. 

Following these general tips is a great way to set yourself up for a successful market experience. That said, even the most cautious and safety-minded individuals can experience accidents during their experience as a vendor at a market. That’s where Duuo comes in. We offer a slice of comfort that allows you to focus on the precautions you can control, knowing that if an accident were to take place, we’ve got you covered. Get a quote for your next farmers’ market event today!