Domestic staff are often home alone for hours a day while the rest of the household is away at work and at school. For this reason, it is important to empower them with knowledge to ensure their safety and so they know what to do in an emergency.
Even before they get to work, there are precautions domestic staff can practice to enhance their safety as they commute. These practices should extend to the time that they are on duty:
- Domestic staff at adjacent and opposite properties should get to know each other and, where possible, walk from and to public transport together. It is also a good idea to exchange cellphone numbers so that they can easily alert one another of suspicious people or vehicles.
- It’s important to always keep security gates and doors locked. Workers might not hear an intruder over the noise of a vacuum cleaner or know that someone has entered the house while they are in the back yard. The alarm system must always be armed when they leave the house, even if only for a few minutes.
- Anyone who arrives at the gate or door should not automatically be let inside. If there is any uncertainty about the individual’s identity, ask for proof that they are who they claim to be and while the visitor waits outside, the domestic worker should contact their employer or the company the visitor says they work for.
- Teach domestic staff how to arm and disarm the alarm system; they should ideally have their own code and password. Have a list of emergency contact numbers – including your cellphone number – stuck on or near the phone. These numbers should also be saved to cellphone memory.
- Clearly state the steps your domestic worker needs to take in the event of an emergency (medical, fire, criminal incident).
- Discuss any safety concerns or security issues you are aware of with your domestic staff.
By discussing safety with your domestic employees and introducing clear, easy to follow procedures, you can ensure their wellbeing and improve the security of your household – while simultaneously making it more difficult for criminals to ply their trade.
For more information on home and content insurance, visit www.miway.co.za
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MiWay Insurance Limited (‘MiWay’) is a direct, short-term insurance company, offering customers a range of short-term insurance products including motor, household and homeowners insurance as well as add-on products such as warranty cover and liability cover. MiWay’s shareholder is Santam, a blue-chip JSE-listed company.
Also view:
Tips for increased Safety Awareness and Preventing House Robberies
Safety with Electricity and Preventing Electrocution & Fire