Increasing Safety With Members Of The Public Onsite

By Author: publicsafety
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Any industry that has members of the public constantly onsite runs the risk of accidents and injuries occurring. It is easy to make your employees aware of the hazards that they face and how to act in case of an emergency, but this is a real challenge when you have members of the public coming and going on a regular basis. This scenario is seen in places like schools, hospitals, leisure centres, libraries, museums and banks.

So, what can be done to reduce the chance of incidents occurring in these public spaces?

The easiest, fastest and most succinct way to educate people is through the use of signs. These signs are brilliantly designed to work on a subconscious level much like traffic signs, meaning that people will take on their message without even realising it. These signs use stark colours, text and pictograms to explain a particular message succinctly. A few common signs that you could benefit from having include fire exits, “door must be kept closed" and “this door is alarmed".

One particularly important type to have is mandatory signs ...
... These are signs that show an action that is required - this is usually for employees, but can also be for members of the public with “face direction of travel" being one example. These signs serve as a reminder of how to act and are essential for maintaining health and safety. They are particularly valuable for hazardous areas such as construction sites and factories.

In addition to using signs to inform people of the surrounding hazards, a business can also have this information communicated at the reception desk where people visit first. This can be challenging in large areas, but these are often the more dangerous places, and therefore it is of particular importance.

It is also important to have people supervising to ensure that everybody is behaving safely and not endangering themselves or others. These people should also be trained properly on all aspects of health and safety so that they can help in case of an accident.

On top of this, it is also vital that the organisation has the necessary equipment to deal with incidents. This will include different types of fire extinguisher, readily available and fully equipped first-aid kits and a room where first aid can be carried out. It is also wise to have emergency call points and telephones so that the authorities can be alerted quickly, as well as alarms so that everybody can get to safety.

Health and safety are paramount for all businesses, but it can be particularly challenging for organisations that have members of the public onsite at all times. Through the use of signs and increasing awareness, you can drastically reduce the chance of an incident occurring.