Category: Blog

If you’re working with young children in a kinder, preschool or childcare centre, you’ll no doubt be used to entering and exiting via a MagnaLatch® childproof gate system. While for most of us, this is something we probably just do on autopilot, for people of short stature and those in a wheelchair, it can be a major hurdle due to the height of the childproof lock.

In Australia, safety gate systems, such as Magnalatch®, are used in early learning, childcare settings, and community playgrounds to keep children safe and ensure compliance with applicable legal and safety requirements. However, the one issue with the product to date has been the height of the lock, which sits at around 1500–1600 mm from the ground. At this height, any visitors, staff, or clients who are in a wheelchair or of short stature are unable to reach the lock, meaning they cannot enter or exit the premises independently.

The good news is, that’s about to change! The AccessLatch MKII is a fantastic new product that can quickly and easily be installed on Magnalatch® safety gate systems, allowing them to be opened from a lower height while remaining child safe and compliant with requirements.

So if you’re looking for a simple, affordable, no-power solution you can add to your preschool or childcare centre’s safety gate system to make it accessible to all, read on to discover more about the AccessLatch.

AccessLatch = Equal access for all

No matter your sector or industry, these days every organisation has a responsibility to provide equal access to people of all abilities. There are now many more workplaces, businesses and community spaces that include features like ramps and accessible car parks, that allow access to people of all abilities—however, there remain some barriers that require attention. 

For example, the height of locks on safety gates means that those in a wheelchair and of short stature are unable to gain access to the premises. Thankfully, more and more simple, affordable solutions are becoming available to solve access issues, and AccessLatcc MKII is a great example of this. Once installed, it removes the barrier of height for anyone attending your preschool or childcare centre who is of short stature or in a wheelchair, allowing them to gain access quickly, easily and independently.

Simple, affordable, zero-hassle solution 

For some businesses, the belief that accessibility and access solutions are difficult to implement and expensive to design and install is a barrier to taking action. And while some solutions do require significant changes, the AccessLatch is a simple add-on to your existing or new Magnalatch® safety gate system that is really easy to install and inexpensive to buy. The AccessLatch is essentially a key-operated base unit that allows the gate to be opened from a lower height with the use of an MLAK key. This provides instant access to those who need it while maintaining child safety standards and compliance with the relevant requirements.

No power saves you time and money

Not only do electric and battery-operated units cost money to run, but they also require ongoing maintenance checks to keep them operating effectively. With the smart key-operated design of the AccessLatch, you can forget about the hassle of replacing batteries or maintaining a power source. The lock barrel of the unit is conveniently fitted with a standard PD barrel used for restricted access keys so that all that is needed for access is an MLAK key that’s available from local councils. Alternatively, if your preschool or centre prefers to use a unique key for access, a locksmith can simply re-key the barrel to suit your requirements.

Equal access can be as simple as that

As AccessLatch demonstrates, providing equal access for all can be simple and hassle-free. Not only is it 100% Australian-made, but it is also designed to comply with the relevant Australian standards and comes with a 10-year replacement warranty for total confidence and peace of mind. So if you’re keen for your preschool, kinder, childcare or early learning centre to be accessible and welcoming to all, the AccessLatch could be the ideal solution. 

If you have a question about AccessLatch or any of our other products, contact our team on 1300 994 890. We’re always happy to offer expert advice and guidance to help you provide equal access to all.

Real estate and property management may not seem like a dangerous profession for those not involved in the industry. But dig a little deeper and it’s clear that many of the tasks agents and managers undertake every day can be classified as high risk. 

The combination of visiting private properties, meeting with strangers, and working alone can leave real estate industry workers vulnerable, especially when the agent or manager needs to deliver unwanted news. 

Thankfully, there is much that employers can do to protect their workers. It is now good practice for all businesses to undertake a regular risk assessment and have detailed health and safety procedures and policies in place. A key function of this is to protect workers from harm. For lone workers in the real estate industry, carrying a personal duress alarm is a highly effective way to minimise the risk of injury. These small but powerful devices are increasingly being recommended as part of the risk assessment process as a simple way to keep real estate agents and property managers safe. Read on to find out why they could be an ideal solution for your team.

Staying safe at property inspections

For those managing rental properties, conducting regular pre-planned property inspections is essential. More often than not, these inspections are attended by a lone agent or manager. While the majority are completed without incident, there has been an alarming number of cases where an agent has sustained serious injury.

From confrontations with aggressive tenants to dog attacks, agents may encounter a wide range of dangerous situations. In Western Australia, a tenant attacked a property manager during the final inspection when he discovered he would not be receiving his bond money on the day. A property manager was mauled by dogs and seriously injured after attending a booked inspection at a Central Coast home and an agent in Melbourne was left traumatised after a separate dog attack. For agents attending property inspections alone, a personal duress alarm such as the SkyTrack 4G offers a simple and effective way to communicate their location and wellbeing. Useful functions include automated check-ins, tracking updates and up to 10 different alarm settings, which means the alarm can be raised instantly if there is an incident, even if the agent is unable to make the call.

The dangers of property appraisals and valuations 

To find out the value of a property, an appraisal and/or valuation may be undertaken. The appraisal involves a real estate agent attending the premises and combining their observations with their knowledge of the local market and recent sales to put forward their recommendations on how much the home should be listed for sale or rent. A valuation is different as it requires an accredited valuer to prepare a detailed written report on the property, a sworn legal document that can be used in court. 

Both of these require an agent or valuer to attend the private property, and in most cases, they attend alone. They most likely do not know their potential clients and do not know who and what they will find at the house when they attend. While it is ideal to meet at the office or a neutral location first, this alone can not guarantee the safety of your team. The simple act of carrying a personal duress alarm provides an added layer of security in this case, as the location of the agent or valuer can be tracked in real-time and the alarm can be discreetly raised if something doesn’t seem right.

Open for inspection safety

Another risky situation property managers and agents face regularly is meeting potential buyers and tenants open for inspections. Both individual appointments and publicly advertised openings have the potential to be dangerous, as anyone can attend, including those who display aggressive, violent or deceitful behaviour. 

Carrying a personal duress alarm gives both the agent and their employer added peace of mind during an open for inspection. Alarms such as the SkyTrack 4G have a range of useful automations and functions that are ideal as an added layer of protection for property managers and agents working on private property with members of the public.

Keep your team safe with a personal duress alarm

For real estate agents, valuers and property managers, the combination of working alone on private property with strangers can, unfortunately, lead to dangerous situations. Employers can protect their team by conducting regular risk assessments and having clear safety and security procedures in place. 

A personal duress alarm is a simple but highly effective safety tool that should be part of every agent and property manager’s safety toolkit. It provides workers and employees with peace of mind that if there is trouble at an inspection or valuation, the alarm can be raised instantly and assistance can arrive sooner.

Also essential for:

• Lone Care Workers
• Building Site Workers
• Workers at Heights and in Confined Spaces
• Workers Undertaking Audits

Today, governments, organisations and community groups across Australia are taking positive steps towards providing accessible and inclusive places for all. However, there is still much that can be done. One aspect that has sparked plenty of discussion of late is the need for gender neutral toilets in workplaces and public spaces. While current legislation does not directly address this, some venues including Marvel Stadium and Rod Laver Arena have taken positive steps to provide inclusive spaces by making all-gender toilets available at AFL games and the Australian Open. 

A recent Worksafe review focused on assessing the need for Victorian employees to provide toilets that allow for gender diversity under occupational health and safety laws. This has  prompted other employees to consider providing all-gender toilets in workplaces and at events too.

Fostering an inclusive community is good for everyone. When people feel accepted and included at work and in public spaces, it allows them to be their best. This creates a positive environment at public events and allows for happier and more productive teams at work. 

So if you’re wondering whether the addition of all-gender toilets is something your organisation should consider, read on to learn 3 key benefits.

Eliminate stigma and discrimination

When people are made to feel like they don’t fit in, it creates a situation where stigma and discrimination often occur. Using public bathroom facilities can be a major source of distress for those who identify outside of a gender binary, as they can be made to feel uncomfortable about using the ‘wrong’ toilets. This can escalate to abuse or even violence in some situations, creating an unsafe situation for all. 

Everyone, regardless of their gender identity should be able to attend work and social events and use the facilities without fear and uncertainty. Providing inclusive toilets that are not associated with a particular gender is an essential first step to reducing the risk of stigma and discrimintion.

Promote inclusion and acceptance of all

In recent years, many groups and individuals around the world have worked to promote acceptance and inclusion for everybody, and there has been a significant shift in the attitudes and experiences of the community as a whole. To continue to build on this, governments and organisations can implement practical changes to remove the physical barriers to an inclusive society. 

The provision of gender neutral toilets is one important way that businesses, community groups and governments can promote an inclusive space where everybody feels welcome and accepted. For people who identify outside of a gender binary, it creates a safe environment, free from judgement where they don’t need to feel anxious or uncomfortable every time they need to use a public bathroom. In addition, as more all-gender bathrooms are included in public places and in the workplace, an increased appreciation for diversity and acceptance will soon follow. 

Another important benefit of all-gender bathrooms is that it allows parents and carers looking after a person of a different gender to accompany them into the bathroom more easily. This makes the experience of being out and about with your children much less stressful, knowing that if nature calls you never need to worry about sending them in on their own. For carers it makes life easier too, as depending on the needs of the person in your care, you may no longer need to locate and wait for an accessible toilet which are far fewer in number and can be high in demand.

One change can make a world of difference

The provision of all-gender toilets is one change that will make a huge difference to the lives of so many. In most cases, existing infrastructure can be altered to suit the purpose, making it highly achievable for many in the short term. And in the light of recent public discussion around the issue, as well as the Victorian Worksafe review, any organisation who is serious about inclusion should be already considering how they can make it happen.

If you have any questions about access and inclusion signage in your workplace or facility, you can reach our team on 1300 894 990 for help and friendly advice on a huge range of safety and access products including Braille Tactile Gender Neutral Signs.