Start with your own data
Look at your accident and near-miss records with your safety specialist: in which shift, department and task do incidents cluster? When is non-routine work such as maintenance or loading done? How many people work nights and is medical staff present? The answers settle “full day or days only?”.
Choosing the standby point
Close to the highest-risk area and to the exit, clear of forklift and lorry routes, shaded or covered, with power for charging.
Shift change: the most fragile half hour
Car parks and internal roads fill with service buses. Separate the ambulance exit from the bus route, instruct security to clear the gate when it moves, and have it at the standby point ready to go at changeover.
Nights and absences
At night there are fewer managers and medics, so write down who raises the alarm, who escorts and who is called. When the vehicle leaves with a patient, the contract should state the back-up time. For shutdowns and contractor-heavy periods consider ambulance hire; for permanent cover see on-site ambulance.