Crowd and queue management is essential to the smooth running of an event or business where crowds and queues occur, and in ensuring the safety of the people in them.
Read on to find out all you need to know about crowd and queue management, and what you can do to ensure the safety and satisfaction of people you are responsible for.
The importance of crowd and queue management
Since the coronavirus pandemic, none of us are strangers to queuing and the importance of safety measures. Queue management is the process of managing the experiences of customers waiting in a queue to improve business and customer experience and satisfaction.
Crowd management, or crowd control, is a security practice whereby large crowds are managed in order to prevent crowd surges, crushes, affray, fights, or riots. There have sadly been several cases, even recently, where crowd crushes at large events have led to hundreds of fatalities.
However, most major crowd disasters can be prevented through implementing simple crowd management strategies, organisation, and traffic control systems such as strategically placed barriers.
Proper signage
Whether it is a toilet sign, road sign, street name sign, or site safety sign, people depend on signage every day, often without even realising it.
Signage can be used to manage crowds and queues, to navigate people to where they need to be, and to keep them informed. You may have signage in queues to advise people on estimated wait times from certain points.
Ensure all signage is clear and to the point. Signs that are over-complicated or would take too long to read can be counterproductive, as can signs that are too vague or abstract.
Belt barriers
Commonly used to control entry and exit at a variety of venues and events, belt barriers are effective in managing queues and crowds.
Using belt barriers to control the flow of people into an event or area will help to prevent overcrowding. Belt barriers can be also ultilised to ensure that queues are orderly and people are navigated to the right place, thus keeping people safe as well as saving them time.
Often seen in stores and buildings, belt barriers can be used to cordon off high-traffic areas, and to demarcate areas or routes that are not accessible to the public.
Crowd control barriers
An excellent option for queue management, crowd control barriers are strong, modular, and can be easily put together and disassembled. Plus, unlike temporary fencing which is often used to manage crowds, crowd control barriers have flat feet, thus reducing trip hazards.
Crowd control barriers should be used to provide clear directions and safe navigation, and to help prevent overcrowding.
Crowd control barriers can be customised with signage to provide site or safety information, and with branding for a professional look and increased brand awareness.
Turnstiles
A turnstile is a form of gate designed to only allow one person to pass at a time and can be configured to only allow people to pass through one way.
Turnstiles are very effective in controlling the entry and exit of people into an area, venue, or building, and in managing the number of people.
There are turnstiles that will only allow people in with a coin, ticket, pass, or another payment method. They can also count the number of people that have gone in and out to establish whether the area is at capacity.
Security personnel
There is no denying that the use of strategically placed barriers is instrumental in ensuring proper management of crowds and queues, but they cannot prevent drunk and disorderly behaviour or instruct people to move back if an area becomes overcrowded.
Trained security personnel are required in addition to physical systems and barriers, to maintain order and prevent or control fights, riots, or drunk or disorderly conduct.
Security personnel is crucial in organising and controlling large crowds and queues. Their presence alone will help to promote a general sense of order and safety.
If you are looking to increase the security of your event with effective barriers and turnstiles, get in touch with our team of experts at Gateway Automation on 01522 682255, or email info@gatewayautomation.co.uk.
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