Not having been in the room with the guy, all I can assume is that he went somewhere where there were no other people and that he had a safe area (a sand barrel, whatever), so he could clear the gun and be 100% absolutely sure that if an ND did happen, it wouldn't hurt anyone. Was that really necessary? Probably not, but given that companies are typically paranoid about liability (for good reason), I don't think it's that crazy.
Gander Mountain in Castleton has always had a policy of checking in firearms that you are bringing in. They used to have a fairly decent gunsmith on premise, so I'd bring stuff in for him to fix (hell, the guy worked on and fixed my Webley Mk VI that I couldn't get any other shop in Indianapolis or Lafayette to even look at). He left a few years ago and they switched to shipping guns out for work to another facility (not sure they even take guns in for repair anymore). But when I brought something in, I would always have to check it in at the front desk, they would make sure it was unloaded (right in front of me, never in a back room) and then they would take it back to the gun counter. The same when I picked up, they would take the gun back to the front and then, and only then, would they hand it back to me to take out of the store.
I don't understand the need for someone - anyone - else to handle my firearm. What's wrong with checking it in, and then running a bright-colored zip-tie through the open action? Problem solved, and I don't have to relinquish control of my property to somebody who probably wouldn't even handle it as safely as I would myself.