Businesses to be Responsible for Non-Implementation of 999 Systems
Businesses that are unable to implement systems which track the exact location of a 999 call might face legal action under health and safety laws, warned a legal expert.
The word of caution came soon after the launch of the Enhanced 999 calling solution by a Scottish Company. The solution can detect the exact location and extension from which an emergency call is made – in contrast to the existing system, which at best can only provide a generic number to emergency personnel. These limitations are currently a hindrance when dealing with organisations having large worksites or having single, isolated workers.
The expert said that those companies, which do not introduce the latest available measures, could be sued if emergency services fail to reach a person in need due to non-availability of accurate information.
Specialist health and safety lawyer, Claire Anderson has stated that responsibility to provide suitable access to emergency services when required lies with employers. She warned that when the Enhanced 999 calling solution is used on a wider scale, all companies that do not have the technology might face enforcement actions. The HSE, she explained, might see this as inadequate action to protect employees on the part of the organisations. In such cases, the companies may be served notices and can even expect harsh prosecution.
Employers, now more than ever need to arm themselves with the right advice and training though the direction of experts in the field. Find our more about the nebosh general certificate which is a highly regarded training course run by Workplace Law Training which could be just the ticket for you.
In the US, similar systems are extensively used by corporations, which wish to protect staff and at the same time prevent legal action if a workplace accident takes place. Many states have also made it a mandatory legal requirement for companies to be able to provide accurate information about the location of staff in emergencies, and businesses that fail to do so also face the risk of closure.
