Hi folks; just a quick fish for views; our firm has set designated pick up points for collecting workers and clients throughout London. Some of the areas aren't excatly salubrious; but there are dozens of them! Views on headng out to Risk assess the areas please ladies and gents?

Hi, I wouldn't risk assess on the grounds that you can't control/mitigate the risks these areas might pose to workers/visitors as they are public places outside your area of influence.

Also, if the visitors/workers are being picked up from there, are they presumably from that area and familiar with it?

I must say I have difficulty in agreeing with the responses so far.

If your firm specifies the location of the pick up points, it has a responsibility, [but not neecessarily if they don't]

I wouldn't dash out and assess them all - try discussing it with the workers/clients to see if they have specific problems at specific locations. Identify any [perceived] problem locations and look at possible solutions to them

[Back in the bad old days of the Kings Cross area [pre HS1 etc], we provided taxis to take lone [female] staff from the office [in a 'bad' area] to a relatively safe/acceptable area where they could continue their journeys unaccompanied]

Nimbel,
I think you are correct to feel concerned. I would say do not get hung up on "legislation", statutory requirements to "risk assess" or criminal liailbity. If the employer has specfically instructed employees to be at that place then there is a (civil) liability.

It would not be beyond the realm of possibility that if an employee were attacked they would be able to contruct a civil claim on basis that their employer required them to be there, instructed them to attend at a certain time to await transport. And that they would not have been there but for their employement etc

I sugggest that "the office" needs reminding of the employer's responsibility to their employees and "thinks again" about what they are asking. Might be worthwhile asking the "the office" if they would be happy to report to such places and wait for transport.

Phil