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Is there a legal reason to need a visitors book?

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jennielouises
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Is there a legal reason to need a visitors book?

Post by jennielouises »

I have always had a visitors book for people to sign in when they come to our premises at all my jobs as an office manager. However, at my new one (been there three months) our CEO says he doesn't want a visitors book as he says it is treating people like children! But my concern is with fire regulations.

Most visitors will be accompanied by a member of staff at all times. The only ones who might not be will be the contractors doing things like the aircon maintenance. I can get them to sign in with me. So if there was an alarm, that visitor will be with their host. Also, the fire wardens sweep the building to make sure everyone is out should an alarm go off. But is there a legal or practical reason why we should have one?
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Re: Is there a legal reason to need a visitors book?

Post by stephen1974 »

There is no specific legal requirement to have one (that im aware of), and in some places it simply is not practicle to have a signing in book. Think of places that have a high footfall of people. Shops, Leisure Facilities, Restaurants, Museums and so on and so on.

Any legal obligation comes from your duty of care and doing what ever is reasonably practicable.

However, if you have people who might have to access remote parts of the buildings alone, such as contractors, it could have some benefit there.
If your visitors are always accompanied, what is the practicle benefit of a visitors books? or is having one just a tick box excersise?


To give an example of impracticality. I once worked at a place where the capacity was for 500 people. We had an electronic sign in and sign out system so we knew exactly who was in the building. However, in an evacuation it was a completely useless tool for seeing if people were left inside because I had no way of stopping people leaving and going home, or off to the shops, or anywhere. Also, to check 500 people. Lets say 10 seconds per person on average. 6 a minute, Thats almost 1 1/2 hours of name calling before I could even suggest to the fire service that people might still be inside. Not practicle for that purpose.
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Re: Is there a legal reason to need a visitors book?

Post by Messy »

There are broadly two ways to account for people during an evacuation

Roll call: staff and visitor records (from your book) ate used to check those gathered at an assembly point. You have been here and have experienced the pitfalls.

Sweep: a limited No of trained staff sweep.the buding to ensure it's clear.

Your idea of a visitor book for contractors working in remote areas and a sweep for everyone else seems very sensible and doable

Training is key and repeating that input regularly. And of course, checking hat training and procedure via regular drills

We have almost 5000 in one big building who strictly use electronic access equipment. But electronic records would take too long to print, and where do you assemble 5000 people in a congested city centre?

Sweep is by far the best option in 99.9999999% of ocassions
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Re: Is there a legal reason to need a visitors book?

Post by witsd »

Absolutely agree with Messy.

From my previous supermarket days, we had two systems – a 'place-card-in-board' system for staff and a visitors' book for contractors and 'other'.

The card system was just ridiculous and unenforceable. The staff would regularly forget to sign in and out, play pranks on each other by moving or hiding the cards and then deny everything when challenged.

The contractors' book was controlled, defined their purpose, likely position and (I believe) helped to prevent shenanigans, because from the moment they set foot in the building, they were accountable.

Now don't get me wrong, we still swept every part of the building during every evacuation, but one system was a good back-up, whilst the other was just a waste of everyone's time.
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jennielouises
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Re: Is there a legal reason to need a visitors book?

Post by jennielouises »

Thank you everyone. One office is for 40 people and another for 60 people. My only issue with having a sign in book for just contractors is if I am not at that particular office that day, no one will remember to bring the visitors book to check for the contractor! Most of the time I am there when I have arranged a maintenance visit so I will know to look for them. I think I will stick with the sweep and make sure if I am not there, that one of the other fire wardens is aware of the contractor

Everyone here is always so helpful :lol:
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