Compliance Management for FECs
Handle arcade equipment, diverse attractions, and food service with digital tools built for family entertainment.
The Challenge
Family Entertainment Centres combine multiple attraction types - arcade games, bowling, soft play, trampolines, laser tag, and more - each with their own compliance requirements. Add food and beverage service, alcohol licensing, gaming permits, and age restrictions for different zones, and compliance becomes a maze. Paper systems can't manage the complexity of checking 50+ different attractions, tracking machine permits, monitoring food safety, and proving age verification compliance across multiple zones.
How Assistant Manager Solves FECs Compliance
Each module is designed to address the specific challenges fecs businesses face every day.
Checklist Management
FECs need flexible checklists that handle everything from bowling lanes to trampolines to arcade machines - each with different frequencies, requirements, and staff competencies
The Problems
Why This Matters for FECs
- With 10+ different attraction types, daily checks are inconsistent - some areas get checked thoroughly, others are rushed or skipped entirely depending on which staff are working
Equipment faults go unnoticed in less-checked zones until customers are injured, and you can't demonstrate systematic safety management to insurers or HSE
- Gaming machine PAT testing and maintenance schedules are tracked on spreadsheets that nobody updates, and electrical faults are reported verbally and forgotten
Machines with known faults remain in use, PAT certificates expire without renewal, and Gambling Commission inspections find electrical safety issues
The Solution
How Checklist Management Helps
Zone-based digital checklists with attraction-specific requirements, arcade machine tracking, and F&B compliance logging across all areas
Every attraction type is checked to its specific requirements, gaming machines have current PAT records, and managers see instantly when any zone is falling behind
Use Cases:
- • Zone-by-zone attraction safety checks with different requirements per type
- • Arcade machine PAT testing and maintenance scheduling
- • Soft play and trampoline daily inspection checklists
- • Bowling lane and laser tag equipment verification
- • Restaurant and food court HACCP temperature logging
- • Bar and alcohol service area compliance
- • Fire safety and emergency equipment checks
Feature Screenshot
Checklist Management
Real-World Examples
Example 1: With 10+ different attraction types, daily checks are inconsistent - some areas get checked thoroughly, others are rushed or skipped entirely depending on which staff are working
Real Scenario
"The laser tag arena hasn't been properly checked in a week because it's 'always fine'. A customer trips on loose flooring and breaks their ankle. Investigation reveals no documented checks for that area while other attractions have complete logs."
Example 2: Gaming machine PAT testing and maintenance schedules are tracked on spreadsheets that nobody updates, and electrical faults are reported verbally and forgotten
Real Scenario
"An arcade machine gives a customer an electric shock. Investigation reveals the PAT certificate expired 18 months ago, and staff had reported the machine 'felt wrong' several times but nothing was formally logged."
Employee Scheduling
FECs need scheduling that understands zone requirements - age-restricted areas need adult staff with age verification training, attractions need specifically trained supervisors, and food areas need food handlers
The Problems
Why This Matters for FECs
- Staff are scheduled for zones they're not trained to supervise, or age-restricted areas run without staff qualified to enforce age policies
Under-18s access adult gaming areas, attraction safety is compromised by unqualified supervision, and regulatory inspections find compliance gaps
- Large venues with multiple zones can't quickly see which areas have adequate coverage, leading to some zones being understaffed while others have surplus
Customer experience suffers in understaffed areas, safety supervision is inadequate, and staff costs are inefficient
The Solution
How Employee Scheduling Helps
Zone-based scheduling with qualification requirements per area, real-time coverage visibility across all attractions, and automatic alerts for understaffed zones
Every zone has properly qualified staff, managers see coverage across all areas instantly, and scheduling prevents unqualified staff from age-restricted zones
Use Cases:
- • Zone-based scheduling with different requirements per attraction type
- • Age-restricted area staffing with qualification verification
- • Soft play and children area supervision ratio enforcement
- • Personal licence holder scheduling for bar areas
- • First aider and fire warden coverage across large venues
- • Event and party staffing requirements
- • Multi-site coverage for FEC chains
Feature Screenshot
Employee Scheduling
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Staff are scheduled for zones they're not trained to supervise, or age-restricted areas run without staff qualified to enforce age policies
Real Scenario
"Gambling Commission inspectors visit on a Saturday afternoon. The over-18 gaming zone has a 17-year-old staff member supervising it - they're not trained in age verification and don't realise they shouldn't be there. The FEC faces permit review."
Example 2: Large venues with multiple zones can't quickly see which areas have adequate coverage, leading to some zones being understaffed while others have surplus
Real Scenario
"Saturday afternoon: the soft play area has one staff member for 60 children, while the quiet arcade zone has three. Nobody noticed the imbalance until a child was injured and parents complained about inadequate supervision."
Training & Development
FECs need training that covers the breadth of attraction types plus cross-cutting requirements like age verification, fire safety, and first aid - with clear records of who is competent for what
The Problems
Why This Matters for FECs
- Staff are expected to work across multiple attraction types but receive minimal training on each, learning through shadowing colleagues rather than structured programmes
Staff make safety errors in attractions they don't fully understand, emergency procedures vary between team members, and training can't be verified to inspectors
- Age verification training for gaming zones is done once and never refreshed, and staff turnover means many team members have never been trained at all
Gambling Commission find staff who can't explain Challenge 25 procedures, age-restricted machines are accessed by under-18s, and permits are at risk
The Solution
How Training & Development Helps
Zone-specific training modules with competency assessments, age verification certification, and automatic tracking of who is qualified for which attractions
Staff are trained and assessed for each zone before working there, age verification training is documented and refreshed, and scheduling can only assign qualified staff
Use Cases:
- • Attraction-specific safety training (trampoline, soft play, bowling, etc.)
- • Challenge 25 age verification training and refreshers
- • Food hygiene certification for restaurant staff
- • Personal licence holder training management
- • Fire warden and evacuation procedure training
- • First aid certification tracking
- • New starter induction covering all zones
- • Cross-training programme management
Feature Screenshot
Training & Development
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Staff are expected to work across multiple attraction types but receive minimal training on each, learning through shadowing colleagues rather than structured programmes
Real Scenario
"A new staff member is moved to the trampoline park after just one day shadowing. They don't know the proper supervision ratios or emergency stop procedures. When a child is injured, investigation reveals they had no documented training for that zone."
Example 2: Age verification training for gaming zones is done once and never refreshed, and staff turnover means many team members have never been trained at all
Real Scenario
"During a Gambling Commission inspection, three staff members are asked about age verification procedures. Two give different answers, one admits they've never been trained. The inspector notes inconsistent compliance and schedules a formal review."
Time Clock & Attendance
Large FECs with multiple zones need attendance tracking that shows where staff actually worked - not just that they were on site - plus robust Working Time compliance for young and casual workers
The Problems
Why This Matters for FECs
- Staff move between zones during shifts with no record of where they actually worked, making it impossible to verify supervision coverage when incidents occur
Incident investigations can't establish who was supervising each area, and insurance claims are difficult to defend without proof of adequate staffing
- Young workers don't take proper breaks during busy periods, and there's no visibility of Working Time Regulations compliance across a large casual workforce
Under-18 workers exceed legal limits, fatigued staff make safety errors, and you have no records to demonstrate compliance if challenged
The Solution
How Time Clock & Attendance Helps
Zone-based clock in/out with location tracking, break compliance monitoring for young workers, and real-time visibility of coverage across all attraction areas
You know exactly who was in each zone at any time, young worker breaks are enforced automatically, and incident investigations have reliable data
Use Cases:
- • Zone-based attendance tracking across all attraction areas
- • Real-time coverage visibility for duty managers
- • Young worker break compliance monitoring
- • Accurate timesheet generation for payroll
- • Attendance records for incident investigation
- • Overtime tracking during peak periods
- • Staff movement logging between zones
Feature Screenshot
Time Clock & Attendance
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Staff move between zones during shifts with no record of where they actually worked, making it impossible to verify supervision coverage when incidents occur
Real Scenario
"A child is injured in the soft play area at 3pm. The staff rota shows 3 people assigned, but CCTV and witness statements reveal only 1 was actually in the area - the others were helping in the restaurant. With no zone tracking, you can't prove appropriate supervision."
Example 2: Young workers don't take proper breaks during busy periods, and there's no visibility of Working Time Regulations compliance across a large casual workforce
Real Scenario
"A 17-year-old staff member works 7 hours straight during a busy Saturday without a break. When they make an error that results in a customer complaint, investigation reveals multiple young workers regularly skip breaks."
Risk Assessment
FECs need risk assessments for diverse attraction types that can be updated independently, plus combined assessments for parties and events that use multiple zones
The Problems
Why This Matters for FECs
- Each attraction type was risk assessed when installed, but assessments aren't updated when equipment is modified, layouts change, or new activities are added
Risk assessments don't reflect current operations, and when incidents occur, investigation finds documented controls that no longer match actual procedures
- Birthday parties and group events combine attractions in ways not covered by individual area assessments, with no specific risk assessment for the combined activity
When an incident occurs during an event, you can't demonstrate you assessed the specific risks of that activity combination
The Solution
How Risk Assessment Helps
Attraction-specific risk assessments with modification tracking, event and party risk assessment templates, and automatic review reminders when equipment or layouts change
Every attraction has a current, specific risk assessment, events are properly assessed, and changes trigger automatic reviews
Use Cases:
- • Attraction-specific risk assessments by type
- • Party and event combined activity assessments
- • Gaming zone age restriction risk assessments
- • Food service and restaurant risk assessments
- • Fire safety assessments for complex venues
- • New equipment and modification risk reviews
- • Seasonal and special event assessments
Feature Screenshot
Risk Assessment
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Each attraction type was risk assessed when installed, but assessments aren't updated when equipment is modified, layouts change, or new activities are added
Real Scenario
"The laser tag arena is reconfigured with new obstacles. A player trips on a new element and is injured. Your risk assessment describes the original layout from 3 years ago - nobody thought to update it when changes were made."
Example 2: Birthday parties and group events combine attractions in ways not covered by individual area assessments, with no specific risk assessment for the combined activity
Real Scenario
"A children's party includes 30 minutes each of trampolines, laser tag, and soft play. A child is injured rushing between activities. Your risk assessments cover each area separately but have nothing about group transitions or party-specific risks."
Accident & Incident Records
FECs with multiple attraction types need unified incident recording that captures zone-specific details while providing venue-wide visibility for managers and insurers
The Problems
Why This Matters for FECs
- Incidents are recorded at whichever zone they occur, with no central visibility - soft play has a book, trampolines have a different form, and some zones have nothing
Patterns across the venue aren't identified, insurance claims lack consistent documentation, and some incidents are never formally recorded at all
- Near-misses and hazard reports aren't systematically captured, so recurring problems in specific zones aren't identified until serious injuries occur
The same hazards cause multiple incidents before action is taken, and HSE investigations find known problems that were never formally addressed
The Solution
How Accident & Incident Records Helps
Mobile incident reporting with zone-specific forms, central dashboard for all attractions, pattern analysis across the venue, and automatic escalation for repeat issues
Every incident is captured in a consistent format, patterns are identified across zones, and recurring hazards trigger automatic alerts before serious injuries occur
Use Cases:
- • Zone-specific incident forms for each attraction type
- • Central incident dashboard for venue managers
- • Near-miss and hazard reporting across all zones
- • Pattern analysis by zone and incident type
- • RIDDOR determination for serious incidents
- • Insurance claim evidence preparation
- • Trend reporting for safety improvements
Feature Screenshot
Accident & Incident Records
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Incidents are recorded at whichever zone they occur, with no central visibility - soft play has a book, trampolines have a different form, and some zones have nothing
Real Scenario
"An insurer asks for all incident records for the past year. It takes two days to collect paper forms from different zones, and you discover the arcade has no records at all despite staff remembering 'a few incidents'."
Example 2: Near-misses and hazard reports aren't systematically captured, so recurring problems in specific zones aren't identified until serious injuries occur
Real Scenario
"Three customers slip on the same wet floor area near the entrance over two weeks. Staff mop it each time but don't report it. The fourth customer breaks their hip. Investigation reveals the wet area was a known issue from a leaking AC unit."
COSHH Assessments
FECs use many different cleaning products across diverse zones - centralised COSHH management ensures consistency while zone staff have quick mobile access to safety information
The Problems
Why This Matters for FECs
- Different zones use different cleaning products with no central oversight - soft play uses one sanitiser, the restaurant another, and nobody knows what the arcade cleaning team uses
Chemicals are used inconsistently, products are mixed without understanding risks, and no COSHH assessments exist for most products in use
- Ball pit sanitisers, trampoline surface cleaners, and arcade machine wipes are used without assessments because 'they're just cleaning products'
HSE find no COSHH management during inspection, questioning safety culture across the venue
The Solution
How COSHH Assessments Helps
Centralised COSHH management across all zones, product approval workflow, mobile SDS access for all staff, and training integration
All chemicals are assessed and approved centrally, staff in every zone can access safety information instantly, and HSE inspections find complete documentation
Use Cases:
- • Central chemical approval for all zones
- • Soft play and children area sanitiser assessments
- • Restaurant and food area chemical management
- • Arcade and gaming equipment cleaning products
- • Toilet and public area cleaning chemicals
- • Staff training records for chemical handling
- • Mobile SDS access across all zones
Feature Screenshot
COSHH Assessments
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Different zones use different cleaning products with no central oversight - soft play uses one sanitiser, the restaurant another, and nobody knows what the arcade cleaning team uses
Real Scenario
"A cleaner in the soft play area develops a skin reaction. Investigation reveals she was using a product bought by a supervisor 'because it works better' - there's no COSHH assessment, and it turns out she was using industrial-strength sanitiser undiluted."
Example 2: Ball pit sanitisers, trampoline surface cleaners, and arcade machine wipes are used without assessments because 'they're just cleaning products'
Real Scenario
"During an HSE visit following an unrelated incident, inspectors ask about COSHH. You can identify 4 products in the soft play area alone - none have assessments, staff can't explain dilution ratios, and Safety Data Sheets don't exist."
HR Management
Large FECs with diverse attractions need HR systems that track zone-specific qualifications alongside standard certifications, with robust DBS management for children-facing roles
The Problems
Why This Matters for FECs
- With 100+ staff across a large venue, tracking who is qualified for which zones becomes impossible - spreadsheets are outdated, and supervisors don't know who can cover different areas
Unqualified staff supervise attractions, age-restricted zones have uncertified staff, and scheduling becomes guesswork
- DBS checks for staff working with children are tracked manually, and with high turnover, some staff work in children's areas without current clearance
Staff without valid DBS checks supervise soft play and children's parties, creating serious safeguarding risk
The Solution
How HR Management Helps
Complete employee profiles with zone qualifications, DBS tracking with automatic alerts, and real-time visibility of who can work in each area
Zone qualifications are instantly visible for scheduling, DBS status is tracked automatically, and supervisors can quickly identify qualified cover for any area
Use Cases:
- • Zone qualification tracking by attraction type
- • DBS check tracking for children-facing roles
- • Age verification certification management
- • Personal licence holder tracking for bar areas
- • First aid and fire warden certification
- • Right-to-work document management
- • Emergency contact quick access across venue
Feature Screenshot
HR Management
Real-World Examples
Example 1: With 100+ staff across a large venue, tracking who is qualified for which zones becomes impossible - spreadsheets are outdated, and supervisors don't know who can cover different areas
Real Scenario
"A Saturday supervisor needs to cover the over-18 gaming zone after staff illness. They assign someone who 'seems experienced' - but that staff member has no age verification training and isn't qualified for that area. A Gambling Commission spot check follows."
Example 2: DBS checks for staff working with children are tracked manually, and with high turnover, some staff work in children's areas without current clearance
Real Scenario
"A parent asks whether all soft play staff are DBS checked. You confidently say yes - but checking reveals one staff member's DBS was never completed (they 'started urgently') and another's update service lapsed 6 months ago."
Results FECs Businesses Achieve
Other Leisure & Entertainment Solutions
Ready for Entertaining Compliance?
Join FECs using Assistant Manager for multi-attraction excellence.