A paper visitor log doesn’t know who left the building. In Australia and the United States, relying on manual sign-in sheets during an emergency leaves your organisation exposed – legally and, more importantly, puts lives at risk. Both Australian WHS legislation and US OSHA regulations place a clear duty on PCBUs and employers to account for *everyone* on site, and a last-known arrival list simply doesn’t meet that obligation.
Knowing Who’s Inside Isn’t Optional – It’s the Law
In Australia, 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. This extends to visitors and contractors. Across our work with Australian and US organisations, we consistently see that a core component of this duty is knowing exactly who is on site, and being able to verify their safe evacuation. In the US, OSHA’s General Duty Clause requires employers to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards, including the hazard of not knowing who is present during an emergency.
The Illusion of Safety: Why Paper Logs Fail
Most organisations still rely on outdated methods that create a false sense of security. A paper sign-in book only tells you who *arrived* – not who is still present when the alarm sounds. This gap between arrival and actual occupancy is where evacuations break down and liability skyrockets.
- A manual roll call takes too long, delaying evacuation and potentially exposing people to harm.
- Visitor data locked on a single computer is inaccessible during a power outage or network failure.
- Paper logs are easily lost, damaged, or illegible, creating an incomplete or inaccurate record.
- Contractors often aren’t tracked separately, meaning their presence isn’t accounted for in an evacuation.
- There’s no automated way to identify and exclude individuals who shouldn’t be on site (e.g., suspended employees).
Real-Time Visibility: The Foundation of a Safe Evacuation
Genuine protection requires a cloud-based visitor management system that tracks occupancy in real-time, even when the internet is down. This system must integrate with your emergency evacuation plan, providing a live site occupancy report at the moment of an alarm. It’s not about collecting data; it’s about having actionable information when seconds count.
- Implement a digital visitor management system with mandatory check-in and check-out tracking for all visitors and contractors.
- Enable offline / disconnected mode to ensure occupancy records are maintained even during network outages.
- Integrate contractor induction with the check-in process to verify licenses and safety training.
- Utilize instant messaging to broadcast urgent updates and direct people away from hazards during an emergency.
- Generate an emergency evacuation report instantly, showing all individuals currently on site.
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 move beyond paperwork and embrace a proactive approach to safety. We’ve found that facilities management teams often struggle to produce meaningful reports of on-site personnel in a timely manner – sometimes waiting days for a simple headcount. Our cloud-connected visitor management system delivers real-time evacuation reporting, giving your emergency team the information they need to protect people, not chase down lists.
Content prepared by Time and People — visitor and contractor management across Australia and the United States.