Visitors may have a statutory or other right of access or have been invited to the site, or may need access to fulfil a duty or commitment to the business or to someone else. Examples include visits to collect or deliver goods, read a gas or electricity meter, inspect plant and machinery, measure waste or emissions, carry out an insurance survey, negotiate a sale or purchase, discuss a contract, undertake maintenance and repairs, service equipment or respond to an emergency or alarm signal.
Consider the variety of people who may visit your premises or site, for example:
- contractors and service providers, e.g. cleaners;
- customers;
- emergency services;
- neighbours, passers-by and other members of the public (exercising a right of way, often due to shared access or a public footpath through a site); and
- trespassers and those who do not have lawful access.
For organisations whose primary purpose is the sale of goods or the provision of facilities, the footfall of third parties within their premises can be very high. Other businesses will have third parties on site far less frequently and in much smaller amounts.
Regardless of whether the third parties are expected and how many arrive at your premises, there will need to be appropriate health, safety and welfare arrangements and plans incorporated in the health and safety policy.