A paper visitor log doesn’t know who left the building, and a disconnected system won’t tell your emergency team who is still on site when seconds count. In both Australia and the United States, workplace health and safety legislation places a clear duty on organisations to account for *everyone* present during an emergency – visitors, contractors, and employees alike. Assigning emergency roles within your visitor management system isn’t just about convenience; it’s about fulfilling that legal obligation and protecting lives.
Knowing Who’s On Site Is The Law
Australian WHS legislation, specifically the WHS Act 2011, requires a PCBU to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers and others at the workplace. In the United States, OSHA regulations mandate employers provide a safe working environment, which includes accounting for all individuals during emergencies. In our work with Australian and US organisations, we consistently see that failing to accurately identify and track all personnel on site is a primary source of compliance risk.
The Illusion of Control With Outdated Systems
Most organisations rely on manual processes or basic visitor management systems that offer limited emergency functionality. This creates a dangerous gap between perceived safety and actual preparedness. Visitor data that isn’t real-time isn’t protection – it’s paperwork.
- A static visitor list provides no indication of who has already evacuated.
- Manual roll calls are slow, inaccurate, and prone to errors under pressure.
- Disconnected systems fail when the internet goes down – precisely when you need them most.
- Lack of employee presence tracking means your evacuation report is incomplete.
- Without role assignment, coordinating your emergency response is chaotic and inefficient.
Real-Time Visibility, Real-Time Control
A functioning visitor management system integrates visitor, contractor, and employee data into a single, live view of site occupancy. This system must operate both online and offline, providing continuous access to critical information even during a network outage. Contractor induction is also a key component, ensuring all personnel are aware of emergency procedures.
- Capture employee presence using integrations with time and attendance systems or direct check-in functionality.
- Assign emergency roles – warden, first-aider, deputy warden – directly to employee profiles within the system.
- Enable a real-time evacuation report that identifies all personnel on site, including their location and assigned roles.
- Utilise offline / disconnected mode to maintain site occupancy records even without an internet connection.
- Facilitate muster point verification by cross-referencing check-in data against reported locations.
Time and People: Visitor Management That Works When It Has To
For over 12 years, Time and People has been helping Australian and US organisations bridge the gap between compliance and real-world safety. We’ve found that the companies who proactively integrate employee presence and emergency roles into their cloud-based visitor management system are significantly better prepared to respond to incidents effectively, and protect the people in their care.
Content prepared by Time and People — visitor and contractor management across Australia and the United States.