A paper sign-in sheet doesn’t know who left the building. In Australia and the United States, knowing precisely who is on site during an emergency isn’t just good practice – it’s a legal obligation. Both WHS Act 2011 (AU) and OSHA regulations (US) place a clear duty of care on PCBUs and employers to ensure the health and safety of everyone on their premises, including visitors and contractors. Failing to account for all personnel during an evacuation exposes your organisation to significant liability.
The Law Demands You Know Who Is On Site, Not Just Who Arrived
In our work with Australian and US organisations, we consistently see that simply recording visitor arrival times isn’t enough to meet legal requirements. Australian PCBUs have a duty to maintain a safe working environment, and that includes knowing the location of all personnel during an emergency. Similarly, US employers are obligated under OSHA to provide a safe workplace and have procedures for emergency evacuation, which necessitates accurate site occupancy data.
Paper Processes Leave People Unaccounted For
Most organisations rely on outdated methods that create critical gaps in emergency preparedness. A visitor book, a spreadsheet of employees, and a separate contractor log simply can’t provide the real-time visibility needed when seconds count. This disconnect between arrival records and actual location is a major source of risk during an evacuation.
- A paper visitor log cannot tell you who is still in the building during an emergency – it only records who checked in.
- Manual roll calls are slow, inaccurate, and prone to error, especially in multi-building environments.
- Disconnected spreadsheets offer no real-time visibility and are often inaccessible during a network outage.
- Contractor details are often managed separately, creating a fragmented view of site occupancy.
- Lack of check-out tracking means you don’t know who has already evacuated, hindering accurate muster point verification.
Real-Time Visibility is Achieved Through Connected Systems
Genuine protection comes from a cloud-based visitor management system that provides real-time occupancy data and functions even when the internet is down. This system must integrate visitor, contractor, and employee data into a single, accessible platform, enabling rapid and accurate evacuation reporting. Contractor induction is a critical component, ensuring all personnel are aware of emergency procedures.
- Implement a cloud-based visitor management system with offline / disconnected mode to maintain site occupancy records even during network outages.
- Integrate employee data into the system, tracking their location across multiple buildings, and enable them to check in/out of locations.
- Mandate contractor induction and check-in, verifying licenses and ensuring acknowledgement of site safety rules.
- Utilise the emergency evacuation report feature to generate a live list of all personnel on site at the moment of an incident.
- Equip floor wardens with mobile devices (iPhones or iPads) to conduct real-time muster point verification, cross-referencing check-in data against those accounted for.
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 the most common request from our customers is the evacuation report – a testament to the critical need for real-time site occupancy data. We deliver cloud-connected visitor management, contractor management, and emergency evacuation systems designed to protect your people, and ensure you meet your legal obligations.
Content prepared by Time and People — visitor and contractor management across Australia and the United States.