Daylight savings time has come to an end, meaning the outside world is getting darker earlier in the day. For most Americans, this means arriving to work just before sunrise, and returning home just after sunset. Despite this natural phenomenon occurring each year, few organizations adapt to these elements in order to prioritize employee safety.
The parking lot of a healthcare facility is one of the most vulnerable spaces for employees to experience violence or car accidents. This is especially true for the nation’s 5.2 million hospital workers whose shifts begin and end at all hours of the night (Milwaukee Sentinel). Dimly lit parking garages with poor video surveillance and little-to-no panic buttons can make a simple walk turn into a taxing nightmare for some employees.
“I would literally look left and look right and then run to my car”
-Tierney Flynn,
Former Nurse at Columbia St. Mary’s, Milwaukee
As health care companies take in billions in revenue annually, hospitals across the country have frequently allowed parking garages to go unstaffed, cameras unmonitored and nurses to fend for themselves.
The immediate solution is to adapt to the perpetual loss of daytime by adding more light, ensuring all outdoor walkways and parking lots are adequately covered. Although it may deter some crime and vandalism, only addressing the light in the parking lot still leaves nurses alone at odd hours of the night. Another solution would be to increase security patrols and ensure a staff member is on-site at all times. This is important because it designates someone who knows the ins-and-outs of the property to direct first responders if necessary.
Above all, upgrading any security system should include empowering your staff and making them feel as safe as possible. Personalized panic buttons such as the Kwema Smart Badge™ allow for employees to call for help by sending their active location within seconds. Real-time GPS tracking is especially important for parking lots, where frames of reference are more difficult than inside a building. It’s the finer details, although small, can make a huge difference in employee safety.
Learn how Kwema adds a layer of security to healthcare workers in areas like facilities and parking lots below.