01 Mar 15 Ways to Increase your Customer and Visitor Safety
When was the last time you reviewed the effectiveness of your customer and visitor safety procedures?
In July 2013, Briscoes Ltd were fined an eye watering $75,000, when an elderly customer tripped over a cardboard box in an aisle. At the time, there was much consternation from the public about the amount of the prosecution and the questions rose – who is responsible for what, and where does common sense and personal responsibility come into this scenario? The responsibility of the PCBU, in regard to visitors to a work place, is certainly spelt out.
After reading the latest prosecution against Vehicle Inspection New Zealand Limited (VINZ), this should certainly be a wake-up notice for all NZ businesses.
Read the article here – Testing station to pay $503,000 after fatality
Here are a few ideas to help you solve this issue:
- Do you have a visitor’s management procedure?
- Involve your staff to see if its working, and how it can be improved.
- Develop a policy and/or procedure for the management of visitors.
- Install a sign-in book/visitors register, or other system.
- On your sign-in book/visitors register, include this at the top of the page in a large font:
YOUR SIGNATURE TO OUR VISITORS REGISTER IS DEEMED TO BE YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMPANY’S HEALTH AND SAFETY CONDITIONS OF ENTRY. - Develop and install at the sign in desk 7-10 general safety rules that must be complied with by the visitor.
- Review your signage – is it adequate as a safety or no-entry message?
- Install signage that informs all visitors to report to the office or another selected location to sign in.
- If you have an open workshop, consider placing chains or other systems to warn visitors of the no-entry rule.
- If it’s a chain, hang a no-entry sign in the middle of the chain/barrier.
- If PPE is required, get the visitor to supply, or for the company to have this available, including safety glasses.
- For all workshops, do not allow any open-toed shoes or sandals to be worn.
- Ensure that the visitor has a company representative with them during their visit. The exception to this will be approved contractors or service people who should have been made aware of their safety requirements of the business.
- If you have designated and marked walkways, check to see if the marking is in good order.
- And finally, give all your employees the authority to challenge any unauthorised visitors or visitors who wander into their workspace.
We hope these suggestions help you tighten up your visitor safety. To discuss further, please click here.
Please contact us if you would like to discuss.