Lock down your site in the event of an incident
Unfortunately, of late, as you will be aware from national media coverage, terrorist related events in the UK have become more common, as well as a rise in firearms related incidents. This seems like an appropriate time to look at what do we do if we are caught in the middle of any such incident.
Although rare, the unfortunate reality is that attacks can and do happen, anywhere and at any time. A risk assessment should therefore be the first port of call when looking to keep everyone safe. A risk assessment will allow you to put safety procedures in place.
Is your business particularly at a higher risk for instance? Things like business activities (involvement in politics, places conducting work that may have been reported negatively in the media, “official” government buildings, emergency services, schools / colleges etc, large shopping centres or stadiums have all been targets for such incidents in the past, but in reality, as stated it could happen anywhere.
Some principles to be aware of to help reduce the risk of an incident occurring could be:
- High level of security on site, where unknown people are challenged.
- Being aware of suspicious behaviour by persons on site – attackers are known to conduct planning including reconnaissance visits before attacks – be aware and challenge persons you don’t recognise.
- Keep all doors secured.
- Use CCTV effectively
A dynamic lock down procedure may be helpful, this helps plan what the process will be to lock down the site in the event of an incident. The lock down aims to restrict access to a building or into other parts of it reducing the scale of harm, it also stops others moving into the danger areas
The government has produced a “stay safe” guidance for people involved in an incident, this is as follows: RUN; HIDE; TELL
- Run: Escape if you can, take others if possible, if you can’t escape then hide.
- Hide: Find cover from gun fire, be aware bullets can pass through glass, brick, wood, and metal- substantial brickwork / heavy reinforced walls should be utilised. Be aware of exits but lock / barricade yourself in, make sure you silence your phone!
- Tell: Once you are in a safe position to do so, call 999 – they will want to know a description of the suspects, details of weapons, and where they are located, details of casualties / injuries, details of the building such as exit points etc.
- Stop others gaining access.
Be aware that an armed police response may be quite traumatic in itself, remember that the police may not be able to distinguish you from the attackers initially so listen to and follow instructions from officers who are trained to manage the threat, you may be treated firmly.
Avoid sudden movements and co-operate fully. They are there to keep you safe.
We can audit your health and safety processes on site to give recommendations on how you can develop your safety management system and protect your employees. Contact us to find out how we can help!
