A visitor left unattended in a lobby is a security risk and a failure of site supervision. In Australia, the WHS Act 2011 requires PCBUs to manage risks to health and safety, while OSHA in the United States mandates a safe working environment for all. Automatic SMS notifications ensure hosts are alerted immediately, preventing unsupervised access and ensuring the duty of care is met.
Unsupervised visitors create unacceptable liability gaps
Australian WHS legislation places a clear duty on PCBUs to ensure the safety of everyone on site. Similarly, OSHA regulations in the United States require employers to maintain a workplace free from recognized hazards. In our experience working with Australian and US organisations, we have found that the period between a visitor signing in and the host arriving is where the greatest supervision gaps occur.
A paper sign-in book cannot alert a host
Most organisations rely on manual processes that create a dangerous lag between arrival and supervision. When a visitor is logged on paper, there is no mechanism to trigger an immediate alert, leaving the visitor adrift and the host unaware.
- Visitors waiting in reception areas without active supervision or guidance.
- Hosts remaining unaware of arrivals, leading to visitors wandering into restricted zones.
- Reliance on manual phone calls or emails that are often missed or delayed.
- Lack of immediate contact data, leaving hosts unable to notify visitors if they are delayed.
Real-time alerts translate data into immediate action
A cloud-based visitor management system removes the communication lag by linking the sign-in event directly to the host’s device. This ensures that site occupancy is tracked and supervision begins the second a visitor enters the premises.
- Automatic delivery of SMS, email, or push notifications to hosts immediately upon visitor sign-in.
- Customisable host settings that allow individual employees to select their preferred notification method.
- Deployment of unlimited push notifications to notify employees of visitor or service provider arrivals without incurring SMS costs.
- Integration of visitor mobile and photo capture, enabling hosts to identify and contact visitors instantly.
- Use of individually identified kiosks to deliver location-specific acknowledgement messaging to visitors during the process.
Time and People: Visitor Management That Works When It Has To
We convert complex compliance obligations into working infrastructure through cloud-connected visitor management and real-time evacuation reporting. With over 12 years of experience across Australia and the United States, we have found that providing options like push notifications helps our high-volume clients avoid the unexpected costs associated with SMS credits. We build systems that protect your people, not just your paperwork.
Content prepared by Time and People — visitor and contractor management across Australia and the United States.