Tips for Car Park Safety at Churches and Worship Centres

July 18, 2016 - 3 minutes read

Parking 1If your worship centre provides a car park, you have a responsibility to keep it as safe as possible for those who use it. Potential problems in car parks can include traffic flow problems, collisions / prangs, pedestrian injuries from slips or falls, and opportunities for theft or other criminal activities.

Causes may include poor design, inadequate lighting and poor visibility, lack of signage, directional arrows and / or marking of spots, insufficient space for manoeuvring, poorly designed pedestrian paths and inadequate maintenance.

Reducing the risk of car park problems is therefore important for reasons of health and safety, security, accident prevention, and for just generally maintaining a smooth flow of vehicles and people. This can be done through good design and overall good management of your car park.

Car park design:

Your car park needs to comply with Australian Standard AS 2890.1:2004, which sets out the minimum standards required for dimensions of parking spaces, shared areas, wheel stops, ramps and other features. Some of the considerations for design include:

  • Adequate room for vehicle manoeuvring and reversing.
  • Disabled parking spaces.
  • Emergency vehicle access.
  • Adequate water drainage.
  • Signage, directional arrows and marking of parking spots.
  • Speed bumps.
  • Construction / placement of barriers.
  • Lighting and general visibility.
  • Pedestrian walking paths.
  • Separate entry and exit areas if required.

Security:

Lighting and visibility are particularly important for security, as is removing hiding spots that could be used by unwelcome intruders, and installing security cameras if necessary. Regular patrolling may also be required for reasons of security and safety.

Other considerations:

During busy times consider using car park attendants to direct the flow of traffic and drivers to vacant spots.

Regular and ongoing maintenance should also be conducted. This includes removal of debris and obstacles, checking for and repairing potholes or other damage, removal of oil or grease, repainting of signage and / or arrows, and landscaping / gardening.

If an accident does occur in your car park and a claim is made against your church organisation, contact our office to discuss your situation.

Further links:

For non-profit and church insurance quotes, complete the online form here.
For more health and safety tips related to this topic, see below:
Preventing slips, trips and falls on your church property.
Common liability risks and exclusions.
Exterior lighting for security and safety.
Outdoor safety on your church property.

Written by Tess Oliver

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