Safety in workplace car parks

Pedestrians and vehicles are constantly moving in, around and out of car parks. Common hazards include slips, trips, falls and collisions with structures (for example safety barriers), vehicles or pedestrians.

Those with management or control of a car park should identify and control all hazards in the car park, including the entries and exits. For example, they should:

• consider the suitability of designated areas for staff parking, including the distance to the workplace and the layout of the carpark
• ensure pathways, entries and exits are slip-resistant under wet and dry conditions
• ensure that good housekeeping is maintained, for example through systems for identifying and removing oil leaks, pooled water, rubbish or debris
• ensure that delivery vehicles and forklifts are separated from pedestrians
• erect physical barriers between pedestrians and vehicles or create clearly marked and adequate walkways and pedestrian crossings
• ensure the car park is fully accessible for people with special needs or disabilities
• provide clear signage for speed, load and height restrictions
• erect signage encouraging cars to back into parking spaces, to minimise instances of people walking behind cars reversing out
• use CCTV to monitor activities in the car park, including in stairwells
• provide a system for car park users to report hazards
• ensure delivery vehicles and forklifts are only operated in designated zones that are well distanced from pedestrian areas
• implement a traffic management plan for loading areas and customer parcel pick up zones
• ensure vehicles exiting the car park can safely merge with road traffic

Appropriate lighting needs to be provided to allow people and vehicles to move around easily and safely.

Lighting may come from natural or artificial sources, or a combination of both.

All areas of the car park need to be adequately lit, including stairwells, corners and perimeters. Lighting arrangements need to take into account whether more lighting is required at different times of the day and night.

Other considerations for adequate lighting include:

• the way in which people use the car park
• the hours that the car park is in operation
• the movement of natural light over the day, and across seasons
• any possibility of glare, contrast and reflections, particularly at entry or exit points
• the nature of any work being undertaken in the car park
• any hazards and risks in the car park that may be created or worsened by inadequate lighting

Australian Standard AS1158.3.1: Road Lighting – Pedestrian Areas and AS1680.2.1: Interior and Workplace Lighting provides further practical information about appropriate lighting in car parks. However compliance with an Australian Standard does not release duty holders from their occupational health and safety obligations.

The air quality and temperature in a workplace car park needs to be managed to ensure those using the car park are not exposed to unsafe conditions.

While most people will only be in the car park for a short amount of time, others such as car park attendants or trolley collectors will experience long term exposure to the conditions in the car park. Those employees should be provided with adequate protection, such as a temperature controlled office (where reasonably practicable) or personal protective equipment.

Risks associated with temperature and exposure to airborne contaminants such as carbon monoxide and diesel exhaust need to be assessed and controlled. For example, those with management and control of the car park should consider:

• the air movement, air temperature, humidity and radiant heat in the car park at different times of day
• weather conditions during each season
• the amount of ventilation, whether through natural or mechanical ventilation
• the length of time different users are likely to be exposed to the conditions in the car park, and what activities they will be undertaking (for example physical activities like trolley collecting)
• the levels of hazardous substances people may be exposed to, such as carbon monoxide, and whether this is likely to exceed the exposure standard for the hazardous substance

Occupational violence and aggression (OVA) includes:

• eye rolling and sneering
• yelling, swearing or calling names
• standing over someone
• spitting, shoving, tripping, grabbing, hitting and punching
• threats of violence or threats with weapons
• incidents of violence or with weapons
• sexual assault
• use of vehicles for intimidation or assault (eg engine revving, inappropriate horn use, following or striking pedestrians)

These behaviours may occur in workplace car parks from clients, customers, co-workers, staff from other workplaces or the public.

Duty holders should develop and implement appropriate health and safety policies and initiatives to eliminate occupational violence and aggression by:

• implementing a system for reporting incidents of occupational violence and aggression
• ensuring employees have a way to call for immediate assistance
• immediately reporting criminal matters to police
• investigating incidents and reviewing existing controls
• if required, where reasonably practicable, accompanying staff or providing security escorts for staff to their car
• making sure allocated staff car parks are not isolated

Those with management or control should also seek the views of the other tenants of the shopping centre and their employees on ways to reduce risks of occupational violence and aggression in workplace car parks.