How to Conduct a Safety Audit Step 2
Deciding on your Safety Audit
An important decision to be made is the size of the Safety Audit. It should not be too big.
If your concern is the neighbourhood as a whole, you could:
- do a full audit of a Neighbourhood Watch area ;
- audit the whole neighbourhood concentrating on one or two factors only, such as lighting and telephones;
- audit a major route to and from the public transport stop, or to the shopping centre, or other ways you use the public space.
Safety Audits can also be adapted to public spaces, such as educational institutions, hospitals and shopping centres. The focus of these types of Safety Audits could also include public toilets, parking lots, stairways, tunnels or other areas that are often isolated.
Permission should always be obtained prior to entering private property.
A Safety Audit is conducted in teams that should contain:
- 4 - 7 people (preferably) ;
- a broad cross-section of the community;
- and any members of special needs groups within the community.
Members of the Safety Audit team will find it useful to take notes as they walk around and the following checklist will help to focus attention on important things to consider from a safety perspective.
Last Updated: 09/12/2005