Only last week, one of my colleagues
was returning home after closing late from site and he decided to use the ATM
to withdraw some cash, but he was attacked by armed men who made away with his
money and some of his personal effects. Are
there lessons to learn from this? How can we arrive safely every day?
In this week's edition, we shall be looking at arriving
safely, especially during odd hours.
Be aware of
your personal safety when out and about:
§ Be alert, walk confidently and
keep to well-lit and populated areas.
§ Walk against the flow of
traffic and, if possible, walk with another person.
§ Let someone know where you are
going and the time you expect to reach your destination.
§ Carry a mobile phone and keep
it safely with you.
§ If you feel unsafe, head for a
well-populated area.
§ Be wary if someone in a car
stops and asks for directions – keep a safe distance from the car.
§
Be aware of your increased vulnerability when
wearing personal headphones.
§ Do not use ATM or expose any cash or attractive items
like laptops, ipads, iphones, etc.during odd hours.
When at
the bus stop;
§ Stand
in well-lit areas near other people.
§ Hold
your belongings very close to yourself
§ Be careful
not to allow people come too close to you, and when they do, stay alert.
§ When
using a taxi:
§ As much
as possible, use pre-arranged cabs especially during odd hours.
§ Sit
behind the driver.
§ Give
clear directions as to where you want to go and if you are not on the agreed
route, terminate the trip.
§ Consider sending the taxi number to a friend via SMS.
When
Driving or being driven:
·
Follow all
company safe driving rules
·
Keep the
vehicle always in a good shape so that it will not suddenly breakdown
·
Do not stop at
odd locations
·
If you suspect
that you are being followed, drive into a police station or into a busy
location and park.
·
Do not drive
on onion bulbs on the road or turn on the wiper and water if there is a broken
egg on the windscreen, these are tricks by the robbers to stop you.
·
Discover other
routes; do not enter the house by the same route every day.
·
Do not get
home at a fixed time every day.
·
Be aware of
the security risks around your home
·
Do not park
vehicles at risky locations; by the roadside or close to generators.
SAFETY IS EVERYONE'S RESPONSIBILITY.
Julius Abanshebe Akpong TMIOSH, MISPON, is a Member of the Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria has published books like, Simplified Chemistry for Senior Secondary 1, The path to Greatness, Reaching the Apex, Atmospheric heavy metals deposition and dispersion in Akpabuyo LGA of Cross River State. He is the publisher of the SuperPsychic Achiever, several HSE articles and bulletins for corporate bodies, international journals and newspapers like Business Insight and is yet to publish his first HSE book; HAZID companion.