What are the dangers of a Skate Park?

There are many inherent risks that come with skateboarding. While some cannot be avoided such as falling while learning new skills, some others are exacerbated by their environment. Skate Parks are large areas of land made of concrete that involve various groups of people daily. Depending on their location, skaters should consider many risks. Road traffic, access to medical help, the size of the skate park, and the ability to clearly communicate are all aspects that may create danger. There were 28 fatalities in relation to skateboarding in the U.S in 2014 according to Skaters for Public Skateparks (SPS). Out of these, 23 were hit by cards and 3 more were holding onto vehicles. A 2015 study reports that up to 13.1% of injuries in a skate park are head injuries and up to 63% were to the upper body.

The large size of a skate park can both be beneficial and prone to risks. A park that is large in size will avoid collisions between skaters. However, it may also make communication between people more difficult, especially in cases of any risks or dangers that need attention or fast action. Although smaller parks allow for easier communication, they also make it harder for skaters to avoid each other and can cause harm.

How to take appropriate precautions?

Although some risks are part of skating, others do not have to be. There are still ways to mitigate them. A risk assessor will often establish the risks involved with the various aspects of a skate park. However, it is important to know there are no unanimous standards of risk for skate parks. While certain parks require a limit of height for some of their structures, others may demand skaters to have full joint protection. Some may have no restrictions at all. For this reason certain, it becomes essential to take appropriate precautions to protect all users involved at all times. Providing skate parks with safety systems can help make both those inside and outside the park to be safer. Sirens and beacons for instance would allow for easy communication and wider reach.

These devices can provide help not only prevent harm but also acquire faster help by raising awareness for all.

Why Hazavoid?

Hazavoid offers fully wireless solutions: the Hazavoid Wireless Alarm System (pictured above) and the Hazavoid Wireless Alert Beacon System come with a backup battery and solar panels. These devices allow for fast and easy safety measures at the push of a button, even without training. This means they are able to protect anyone who needs it, even in situations of high stress. The Hazavoid systems allow for wireless independent installations that reduce both costs and wait time. Able to provide both audio and visual cues, they help to protect an entire zone of concern, no matter the need. Users can easily customise their systems tones to suit specific or recurring concerns. The various beacon colours also allow for colour-coding to gauge urgency for instance. Users can also easily add or remove components as their needs and concerns change.

What are the dangers of a Community Centre?

A venue such as a community centre is immensely helpful for many people. Able to multitask, they suit various needs at a cost-efficient price point. However, they are also targets of many dangers and hazards. One of the main reasons for this is due to the fact they are often located within older buildings. This not only created risks but also make safety harder to attain. Issues such as fires are more prominent among older infrastructures. These places are often more difficult to secure as well, with outdated safety systems and unreliable cabling. Depending on upkeeping standards, older infrastructures can even become dangerous if not updated. They become more prone to power loss and potential fires from short circuits.

Various age groups and nationalities can be present in a community centre. It is essential to accommodate as many people as possible. Lack of information can cause further panic and danger.

How to take appropriate precautions?

Professionals should verify infrastructures integrity at least once a year. This may be more often depending on climate and humidity, especially after a storm. Safety measures for everyday activities must also be reminded often to staff. Safety drills should happen every few months to ensure constant knowledge and ongoing awareness. Other informative material needs to be available and easily accessible as well. This also implies different languages and formats for various demographics. Certain rooms in community centres have capacity limits. For those with higher capacity, it is important to ensure strong safety standards. This can mean having more staff members present for better awareness for instance. Older buildings especially should have added protection to ensure reliability.

Why Hazavoid?

Hazavoid offers fully wireless solutions: the Hazavoid Wireless Alarm System (pictured above) and the Hazavoid Wireless Alert Beacon System come with a backup battery and solar panels. The systems’ nature allows for constant awareness no matter the external context. Able to seamlessly integrate within older infrastructures, installation is fast and easy. This also allows for added safety and peace of mind for all involved. Working independently, it will continue alerting even during power loss. To help adapt to various needs and situations, multiple activation methods are available. May they be portable or fixed, each serves a different purpose and role. For larger rooms, a fixed remote may be helpful to ensure proximity to a system for immediate activation. Remotes may be more helpful for outdoor usage or crowded spaces where movements may be restricted.

What are the dangers of a Convention?

Conventions provide many benefits to different areas of expertise, both for personal and professional reasons. However, they remain full of risks and unknown factors. There are many aspects of conventions that one should consider, from the location to the nature of the gathering. The size of a convention influences its safety greatly as it becomes difficult to know the number of people present. This makes it harder to secure everyone and to notice threats as accurately among all, may they be natural or man-made. Moreover, conventions can gather different kinds of backgrounds. From Comic Con to Tech Conventions, venues still risk robbery and other crimes. Attendees are subject to this even more than convention stands as it becomes so easy to infiltrate the crowd. No matter the convention and the location, one fact remains true: awareness is essential.

How to take appropriate precautions?

Both attendees and attendants are responsible to maintain safety during conventions. This means there are various levels of awareness one should have at all times. To ensure this is possible, convention organisers should provide to all a set of safety material. This would include clear directions of the premises in case of a danger requiring evacuation. Moreover, there would be safety rules to follow depending on the most plausible case scenarios. Conventions can be situations where awareness is at its lowest, especially due to sensory overload. Adding an unknown environment to the equation can create a sense of panic and uncertainty. When a situation is already hazardous, the lack of stability can become too much to handle properly. Therefore, appropriate safety knowledge and systems in place to alert as many as possible no matter the situation truly make a difference.

Why Hazavoid?

Hazavoid offers fully wireless solutions, adaptable to previous infrastructures. Both the Hazavoid Wireless Alarm System (pictured above) and the Hazavoid Wireless Alert Beacon System come with a backup battery and solar panels. This means they can adapt to any situation and location. The Hazavoid solutions easily fit different needs as they are fully scalable and this function allows to reach as many as possible. Both indoors and outdoors can have full coverage to ensure safety at all times. Users can simply activate their systems by the push of a button on their handheld remote. The devices are light and easily carriable for staff to keep on them throughout the day. Since they are customisable, one can add their own message to suit certain circumstances or known dangers for ease of usage and peace of mind.

What are the Dangers of an Arena ?

Arenas are large zones of concern. They are big enough to welcome thousands of people, but also empty enough to remain versatile for different purposes. Many dangers can take place, and staying aware of them is the first step to potentially avoid them. Overcrowding is not only a hazard of its own but can also worsen other situations. Mosh pits during concerts can be a fun and safe experience unless there are too many people. In this case, even signaling for help may become impossible. Situations such as premeditated harm towards others are also relatively common in arenas, especially during events like concerts. Technical difficulties are also important to remember and be mindful of. Although rarer, they still happen and it is always helpful to have alert systems that cater to this to keep every party involved safe no matter what.

How to take appropriate precautions?

There are many ways to keep these spaces as safe as possible. Many precautions are already in place on a practice basis. Whenever an arena is in use, it is essential to have a trained team of emergency medical technicians (EMTs). Areas where performances may happen, especially if in a concert format where people may move and dance, need to be filled under capacity. This allows for two things. Firstly, for more space between people to move freely and have their own peace. Secondly, in the case of an emergency, medical or other, the space would make it easier either for professionals to go through the crowd or for people to evacuate quickly and safely. Clear communication and signaling are essential, especially if many senses may be overstimulated. If an arena is particularly loud from performers, flashing beacons would be better in the case of an emergency.

Why Hazavoid?

Hazavoid offers fully wireless solutions, adaptable to previous infrastructures. Both the Hazavoid Wireless Alarm System (pictured above) and the Hazavoid Wireless Alert Beacon System come with a backup battery and solar panels. This allows them to protect and alert, regardless of the nature of the danger. Both solutions can be wall-mounted or pole-mounted. This creates flexibility and better audience reach. The systems activate with a remote, making it easy and quick to alert as many people as possible within 200 meters. It is also possible to personalise the alarm tones and beacon colors. One Wireless Alarm System can for instance say multiple different messages, from “Evacuate” or “All Clear” to any preferred word or instructions. Hazavoid is a cost-friendly, complete solution for your safety, at all times.