Investigation Safety: The Investigator's Shinbone

 

Today's blog is another one of my Friday Funnies combined with some legitimate paranormal advice!  I'm sure you've probably seen the above-graphic, or some variation of it, posted on social media over the last few years, and with good reason.  It's something that most paranormal investigators and/or ghost hunters can relate to on some level.  I know I've personally whacked my shin directly into chairs, beds, coffee tables, and anything else that might be at shin level!  And, while it definitely doesn't feel good, and usually doesn't do any damage, it does bring up an important safety factor that I'd like to address. 

Although this graphic highlights the comical side of it, stumbling around in the dark, in an unfamiliar location CAN be dangerous. Luckily, there are a few ways to mitigate the risks. 

Whether it is your first trip to a location, or you've been there many times before, I suggest you start off each investigation with a thorough walk-through of the entire property.  If this is an indoor location, make sure the lights are on.  If you're at an outdoor location, arrive early to take advantage of full daylight. If you're being shown around by the client and/or property owner, be sure to ask them of any safety hazards you should be aware of.  Take note of where furniture and other large items are located, and locations where you'll be setting up stationary equipment.  I like to take baseline, reference pictures of the entire space before the investigation, and you can take it a step further by making a quick sketch of the area to be investigated, noting potential hazards and obstacles. 

If there are any areas of concern found, make sure they are pointed out to EVERY investigator/guest on site. If there are objects blocking high traffic areas, or fragile items that could easily get bumped, see if the client would be willing to move them out of the way for you.

For other hazards, glow sticks work great. You can use glow sticks to mark potential trip hazards, loose floorboards, uneven stairs, or furniture with sharp, dark, pointy corners. Portable touch lights can be set up in locations, such as staircases, that need a little bit of extra light. And, yellow caution tape can be used to mark off larger areas that need to be avoided altogether. 

When moving from place to place or room to room, pay attention to what you're doing.  It's easy to get distracted by your equipment, especially if you're filming with a handheld video camera or taking readings, but take a moment to look away from your devices to make sure you're not going to walk directly into something.

And finally, weigh the costs of whether or not you really DO need to go dark and/or investigate solely at night. There are plenty of reasons for and against going 'lights out,' which you can read about in my blog: Ghost FAQs: Going Dark. If you are in an area that has quite a few hazards and safety risks associated with low visibility, it might be worth sticking to daytime or lights on activities. And, as always, make sure a well-stocked first aid kit is part of your ghost hunting arsenal. 

I hope you got a knowing chuckle out of today's little graphic, but also picked up a few tips on keeping a silly situation from becoming something a little more dangerous. Have a safe and spooky weekend, and if your plans include any investigating, make sure to watch out for furniture and other safety hazards!