| Consultant and advisor to the pet industry |
| Designing Safety & Security Do you and/or your staff feel safe if you’re in the building alone? Can local police get to the building, and are they familiar with the layout once they arrive? These are only two of the questions owners should ask themselves when evaluating the safety program and security measures of the kennel or grooming shop. Consider the neighborhood where the facility is located. It might be a residential area, a commercial area, or an industrial zone. The nearest neighbor might be right next door…or half a mile away on a quiet country road. In an urban area, some crime might be considered normal…as long as it’s not on your block. But what if it is? Even under the best of circumstances with lots of precautions, security can be breached and bad things happen. Business owners and managers have an obligation to provide a safe place to work. Employees should be expected to take personal precautions and exhibit common sense. Start with the building itself Do the doors shut and latch automatically? Are back doors or side entrances kept locked at all times to prevent an intruder from gaining access? Are locks in good working order, of good quality and well secured to each door? Do all the windows have locking latches? Perhaps you’ve considered security cameras, but abandoned the idea due to financial constraints. Perhaps the cost of retrofitting the kennel or shop with a centrally monitored alarm system seems overwhelming. Both of these things, though, can thwart danger, and promote safety. Other building considerations might be: a well-lit parking lot, landscaping that is kept trimmed so an intruder could not use it for cover, adequate lighting around the building perimeter to eliminate dark spots, or motion detector lights. Don’t forget the devastation fire could produce. Have plenty of fire extinguishers mounted around the building. Keep leashes and cat carriers handy in the event of an emergency. A centrally monitored alarm system not only provides security against intruders, but can also be linked to smoke and heat detectors for fire prevention. Silent alarms (AKA panic buttons) can be placed strategically around the building in the event of a personal attack or unruly irate client who goes berserk. No staff member should feel personally threatened and be without options for getting help. Staff training The second part of your evaluation revolves around your staff. Listing procedures in your employee handbook alone is not enough. Regular instruction on safety and security measures should be included as part of your staff education program. Have a staff meeting and invite the police department to send an officer for a safety presentation. If the facility has a centrally monitored fire and intruder system, the alarm company may have a representative available. Offer a self-defense course; often gyms or karate businesses hold classes for this instruction. Talk to the local fire inspector about having a demonstration for using fire extinguishers, or for escaping from a burning building. Staff members should learn to be aware of their surroundings, and dangers, if any. This may mean establishing policies and procedures to be followed if anyone must be in the building alone after hours. For instance, to keep all doors locked and windows closed; no client or person other than staff is allowed into the building. Let an answering machine or voicemail accept calls after hours; a person alone in the building should never tell clients they are alone. Write out and follow a security guide list of how to do a final check of the building each night for lock up. If staff must walk any real distance to vehicles (in some urban areas staff are parking out on the street, or in an adjacent parking lot) establish a routine of leaving as a group, or in pairs. Also consider emergency training for first aid and CPR. At any given time a staff member could suffer an accident or a client in the reception area could have a heart attack. Post the local emergency numbers for fire, ambulance and police next to each phone even if your area has 911 service. Those numbers may be necessary if lines are busy or service has been disrupted for any reason. Take the time to check The owner, manager or other designated staff member should do a building inspection once a month to check safety equipment and look for potential problems. This includes a visual inspection of each fire extinguisher (and checking it off on the tag, which is mandatory by law), testing each emergency light, changing burned out bulbs in exit lights, and checking eye wash stations weekly to be sure they work. Building checks should be noted in writing (as mandated by OSHA). Constantly watch for equipment problems (frayed electrical wires on grooming dryers for example). Stairwells should never be blocked – all exit routes must remain free and clear. Check storage areas for accumulation of potential fire hazards like too many paper records or corrugated boxes stored in one area. Clean out the basement or storage closet at least once a year. Discard old paint or chemicals that pose a fire hazard or chemical risk; throw out anything unlabeled! Put it in Writing No doubt you will become aware of many potential hazards as you and your staff exam the building. Make the time to write out guidelines, design a training program, and perform building inspections. Rectify the problems you note quickly. Invest a few dollars for the new locks, or more fire extinguishers. Ultimately, your facility becomes safer for your employees, clients, and the pets you serve. Back to Top
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