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Acknowledgements.

I would like to acknowledge the kind assistance offered by the following people. Without their help this study would not have been possible.

• The Staff of Academic Information Services at the University of Salford for their assistance with amassing much of the literature which forms the basis of this study.

• Dr Claire Dickinson, HSE, for supplying pre-publication details of HSE’s research and draft copies of reports and guidance on this subject.

• Mr. Ken Barker, Company Standards Manager, Somerfield Stores Ltd., for offering a retailers perspective, and showing that it is not simply researchers that believe passionately in the importance of checkout health and safety and its consequences for workers.

• Kirsty Atkinson, Risk Management Officer, Makro, for an insight into the company’s approach to risk assessment.

• Mark Baldwin, Regional Business Manager, PSC Bar Code Limited, for supplying technical manual documentation and research papers on the company's product range.

• Liz Falconer, Salford University, for her guidance on the format of this document and for making its creation possible.

• The many internet users who have watched the development of this thesis and have passed on their personal views and the wealth of their experience.

• Lilian Beardmore & Peter Stanway for their efforts in proof-reading this document.

• Finally, my thanks to Managers and Staff at the following Stores, who in accordance with their wishes I will not name.

• • Asda

  • Safeway

  • Somerfield

  • Tesco

  • Kwik Save

  • J.Sainsbury's

  • Wm.Morrison

I dedicate this work to the UK’s 220,000 supermarket checkout workers, and the many hundreds of thousands of other retail workers who will understand only too well the importance of the issues raised in this study. It remains my hope that the welfare of these workers will receive the attention it deserves and that conditions will improve.