To light or not to light?
Oct 28, 2010
Many holidaymakers choose a countryside holiday park to get away from the hustle and bustle of modern life and attempt to get closer to nature. Many park operators specifically cater to this type of camper by providing a rural setting with pitches set amongst trees away from bright lights. Alternatively, there are some holiday parks that provide swimming pools and clubhouses with street lighting across the whole site. The choice is left up to the holidaymaker.
However, there comes the question of the duty of care owed by the park operator to the holidaymaker. This has arisen following a recent compensation claim we have become aware of. A camper tripped over a trailing power cable and suffered a bad fall when returning to their caravan one evening. One reason claimed for the injury was a lack of lighting. The campsite in question was a rural site where the park operator has decided not to brightly illuminate all areas with streetlights, as this would spoil the feel of the park.
This raises a number of questions:-
- Does the same duty of care extend to all holidaymakers, regardless of the type of park?
- Should all parts of a park be illuminated?
- Does a camper who selects a rural, non- illuminated park have a duty to look after themselves knowing there are no streetlights?
As a Chartered Safety & Health Practitioner and a keen but fair-weather camper I can see both sides of the argument. I would suggest some easy actions to consider until we learn how this claim is to be settled:-
- Advise guests of the park’s lighting policy in information given to new campers when booking in and by marking “non- illuminated area” on the site plans;
- Ensure the lighting around busy or hazardous areas such as the amenity blocks, steps etc. are well illuminated after dark;
- Ensure designated walkways are in a good condition, clearly identified and free from obstructions;
- Offer to sell torches to campers in the site shop or at reception giving them the opportunity to take care of themselves.
Regardless what we may think of the compensation culture the situation described above is still going through the claims process, a camper is recovering from a broken leg and there is the possibility of the claim being paid and the park operator’s claims experience and future insurance premiums suffering.
