When it comes to risk management in your municipality, signage plays a crucial role. Especially where community safety is concerned.
Whether on sporting fields or in playgrounds and recreational parklands – clear and strategic signage helps guide and protect your community.
Read on to learn how to create effective signage that enhances safety and reduces your overall risk.
First, why is signage important for local councils?
Signage might seem like a small detail. And yet, signage – or a lack thereof – has played a major role in liability claims against NSW councils.
As a council employee, it’s critical you invest time into developing appropriate and informative communication, especially in remote or unsupervised locations. Specifically, well-developed signs that will advise the public about foreseeable risks – and allow them to make informed decisions before entering a facility or public open space.
At Statewide Mutual, we’ve developed a Best Practice Manual for members to help you achieve the best results. Let’s take a look at some key steps outlined in the guide which will help you create effective signage to keep your community safe.
Step 1: Establish a list of council facilities
The first step to sorting your signage is creating a comprehensive inventory of your council’s facilities.
It should include the name and location of every amenity, as well as details about existing signage – like its location, content and purpose.
This will give you valuable insights into potential signage gaps and help you understand what signs have been effective in the past.
Step 2: Understand each facility’s features, usage and ratings
Understanding the level of development and usage within each facility, as well as its features, is crucial for effective signage.
This involves identifying onsite natural elements (and therefore potential hazards) like trees, dams, creeks and cliffs, as well as existing infrastructure like BBQ areas, tables, rope swings and playgrounds.
Understanding how many people use your facilities and how frequently they visit is essential for Council to set inspection priorities effectively. By identifying high-traffic areas, you can allocate resources more efficiently. This ensures that the most frequently used spaces receive the attention they need.
This data will also help you establish a facility visitation rating, enabling you to determine the optimal sign layout, key features and information to display.
Step 3: Complete a hazard risk assessment and hazard risk rating
Identifying hazards and assessing their risk ensures any warning signs you install will be effective and proportionate to the level of danger and frequency of use.
So, this step involves:
- Conducting a hazard assessment using your council’s risk assessment process and matrix
- Determining the hazard risk rating
Combined with the facility visitation rating, this will provide a framework for determining the appropriate level of warning signage needed at each facility. This targeted approach minimises potential accidents and enhances visitor safety.
Step 4: Develop your signs and plan their locations
After completing step 3, you’re ready to choose your signage’s optimal content and placement.
There are a few important things to keep in mind during this process. As a general rule, the public should encounter a sign before entering a facility. Additionally, make sure your signs:
- Are placed at public entrance points
- Encourage readability and aren’t convoluted
- Don’t impede footpath or road access
- Minimise visual and physical distractions
- Remain visible and free from obstructions like vegetation
Step 5: Don’t forget to regularly reassess
Installing signage might seem like the end of the process – but you’re not done quite yet. Reassessment is an important and ongoing part of maintaining safety and compliance.
Prioritise re-assessments based on each site’s visit frequency, population use, future development, and alignment with your council’s current inspection regime.
One final note: Although each site should be assessed separately, it’s sensible to maintain a register of all sites requiring signage, as outlined in Step 1.
It’s time to act
Installing signage is an affordable and straightforward way for you to enhance supervision at your facilities.
While councils still have a duty of care to ensure their facilities are safe and fit for purpose, signage designed with a consistent risk management approach can serve as a defence in any case of claim.
By following our best practice manual and using the tables and examples within, you can take reasonable steps to meet your duty of care to warn patrons about hazards.
And as a final tip, remember: prohibit what you must, warn where needed and inform as desired.
Ready to give your council’s signage an overhaul? Dive into our Signs as Remote Supervision Best Practice Manual.