PUBLIC SAFETY
In addition to providing a safe environment and workplace for employees, businesses must provide for the safety of the public.
Who Is 'The Public'?
This may include customers, delivery persons, subcontractors, and even, in some interpretations, trespassers and robbers.
The ADA requires businesses to provide a safe environment for handicapped persons as well. Attempts have been made to broaden the term 'handicapped' to include persons who don't understand the language; persons with mental illness; and persons with unanticipated, unrelated illnesses such as stroke victims.
Babies and children (reduced size, age-limited individuals) are also included in the 'public.'
PUBLIC SAFETY GUIDELINES
The following actions can be used in a public safety program.
1. Eliminate the public from areas that pose safety dangers.
Manufacturing areas should be off-limits to the public, and this prohibition should be enforced. Additionally, some areas are inappropriate and unsafe for particular publics. Disneyland limits the size of persons permitted on some rides. Theaters limit the age of persons admitted to some shows.
Public access to some areas may be limited to those who know and will obey safety rules and regulations.
2. Warn the public about dangers.
Signs should define exits and restricted areas. Elevators should carry warnings against use in emergencies.
Meeting rooms and public areas should have posted occupancy limits-which are enforced. Emergency exits and procedures should be prominently posted.
3. Control the movement of the public.
Queues and lines for service should be marked. Thoroughfares should be identified, and loitering in these areas prohibited.
4. Provide emergency response and safety information.
Not only should information on what to do in the event of fire, earthquake, or other disaster be posted, it should be in an understandable form.
5. Train employees in interfacing with the public.
Employees who interface with the public should be trained in responding to the needs, actions, and frustrations of the public. They are the first line of interface.
They may be required to explain and enforce public safety rules. Additionally, they may be faced with dangerous public actions and activities. Potential problems should be identified and appropriate responses planned.
6. Modify public areas for increased safety.
This may include guardrails, fences, and other barriers. An important area for analysis and correction of potential problems is vehicle areas such as driveways, parking lots, etc.
PUBLIC SAFETY AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION
1. PURPOSE
1.1 The purpose of public safety policies and procedures is to protect the public from exposure to potentially dangerous environments.
1.2 Safety warnings are provided to warn the public about possible hazards and dangers.
1.3 Movement-limitation and -control systems are provided to ensure public safety and prevent overcrowding.
1.4 Environmental design modifications are developed to reduce risk of workplace violence or public injury.
1.5 Emergency response information is provided to help the public respond appropriately to emergency situations.
1.6 Personnel training in public interface is provided to explain the nature, dangers, requirements, and response to emergencies involved with publics in the workplace to all affected employees.
2. RESPONSIBILITY
2.1 The Safety Manager is responsible for ensuring appropriate public safety planning and documentation.
2.2 The Safety Manager is responsible for ensuring that appropriate public warnings are posted to limit public access, point out potential dangers, and explain emergency response.
2.3 The Safety Manager is responsible for ensuring appropriate environmental design to minimize the potential for workplace violence or public injury.
2.4 The Safety Manager is responsible for public safety and violence prevention training.
2.5 The Safety Manager is responsible for ensuring that public safety and violence-prevention procedures are enforced.
3. PROCEDURE
3.1 The Safety Manager will schedule and document regular public safety analyses of the workplace and environment.
3.2 The Safety Manager will regularly prepare and update written public safety guidelines and plans.
3.3 The Safety Manager will document and examine all incidents of possible or actual public injury or illness in the workplace and prepare and effect appropriate corrective actions.
3.4 The Safety Manager will correct public safety warnings that are incomplete, inaccurate, or ineffective.
3.5 The Safety Manager will effect appropriate public safety regulation enforcement.
3.6 The Safety Manager will schedule and document public safety training sessions for employees at appropriate intervals.
HOW TO IMPLEMENT A PUBLIC SAFETY PROGRAM
Step ONE
Add the program to your safety manual.
Step TWO
Perform a public safety analysis.
1. This is done by the Safety Manager with help from others such as police, fire department, and inside and outside experts.
2. In this analysis an action plan can be documented using a form that defines:
STEP(s) TO BE TAKEN:
DUE DATE:
EFFECTIVE DATE:
REMARKS:
accepted by (MANAGEMENT/title/date) (Safety Manager/date)
Step THREE
Effect the public safety warnings and procedures identified in step TWO.
Step FOUR
Develop and effect employee public safety training. This can include a pamphlet, public safety training meetings with topics such as emergency response to fire and earthquake, violence and insurrection, etc.
Employee training should be documented on individual or group training forms.
These forms include:
Date:
Trainee:
Trainer:
Date of training :
Date Next Training :
Hours of training :
Special skills :
Nature of training:
Remarks:
Accepted by (Safety Manager/date)
This article is excerpted with permission from Safety Information Currents. Call (310) 454-2100 for a free sample of this monthly bulletin.