Ready For Anything
Ready For Anything
Welcome back for Part 2 of Emergency Preparedness Planning. Last month I talked about some of the basic questions you need to ask yourselves when preparing for unexpected events. Let’s take a look at some of the more likely scenarios that you may face as business owners or employees at work.
There are basically two types of emergency situations ñ one is Evacuation of the Building and the other is Shelter-in-Place. Arguably, there are other emergency situations that can affect your business that can occur outside work hours, but for the sake of this article let’s focus on these two situations.
Depending on the circumstances and nature of an emergency situation, the first decision is whether to stay or go. You need to plan for both eventualities in advance in order for each situation to be handled smoothly. In the event of a large-scale disaster, i.e. tornado, earthquake, terrorism, it is critical to monitor the TV or radio until local authorities can give you guidance. In most cases, if your building is damaged, you will evacuate, but getting information from several sources may dictate a different course. As in all cases when you’re dealing with employees’ safety, use your common sense.
Evacuation of the Building: The ability to quickly and efficiently evacuate your building in an emergency can save lives. Here are some things to consider:
* If you are a larger lab, have a sign-in sheet for visitors, contractors, customers, etc., so that you know who is in your building.
* Decide who has the authority to order an evacuation (with back-ups).
* Decide who will be last out shutting down critical operations.
* Make copies of building layout plans identifying critical utility shut-offs and emergency exit routes with 2 exit routes for each area. Identify all points of exit. Post for all employees to review. Have a copy to take with you on evacuation.
* Contact your local Fire Marshall to learn what is required to be noted on your written emergency evacuation route maps.
* Establish a warning system including means to warn hearing impaired individuals and those who do not speak English.
* Designate an assembly site. Pick one near the building and another in the general area in case you need to move farther away.
* Practice taking roll call by doing fire drills twice a year and time how long it takes to clear the building. Store a current list of the names of employees at designated exits and designate who will be responsible for retrieving the list prior to evacuation. This will allow for an accurate roll call.
* Decide who will authorize an “all clear” or return to work notification.
Shelter-in-Place: There are situations where staying in the building are the best safety course. Planning for all possibilities is important. Some specific times when an exact location may be critical are weather related emergencies such as a tornado and a chemical spill. Here’s information on those two issues:
- Tornado - If a basement is not available, going to the lowest floor in an interior hallway or room is best. Stay away from doors and windows, if possible. It’s important to have a weather radio on battery back-up, too.
- Chemical Release - If a chemical is released indoors, it is best to respond according to the chemical’s MSDS and if necessary, evacuate until authorized personnel deem it safe to return. However, if there is a release outdoors and you are told to “seal the room,” you will need supplies to do that such as duct tape and heavy plastic sheeting. This is done by getting everyone inside into an interior room, closing all doors, windows, and air vents along the way. If you have an emergency supply kit, take this with you unless it is contaminated. Once in the room, use the plastic sheeting and tape to seal all windows, doors and air vents. It would be a good idea to have multiple means of communication sources in the room, i.e. radio, TV, cell phone, fax machine, phone book, telephone, and a computer. Advance preparation for this situation can be a lifesaver.
Promote Family and Individual Preparedness: If your employees and their families are prepared, your company and co-workers are in a better position to handle an emergency. Encourage them to “Get a Kit, Make a Plan, Be Informed.” Publicize the following website to them to assist them with preparedness information: www.ready.gov.
Promote Workplace Preparedness: Ensure your lab’s emergency plans are thorough and are documented. An extensive evaluation of all types of emergencies that could affect your business must be conducted and each of those possibilities addressed in your Emergency Action Plan. Then communicate your emergency action plans to your employees. Don’t forget to include provisions for medical emergencies, utility shutdowns, and how you will review your plans annually by reading the plan and putting it into action through drills.
As a Contingency Planner many years ago, I experienced first-hand the development of a contingency plan for my employer. It took over one year to develop the plan, test it, and then keep it updated. One event at 5am in the morning required the plan to be activated. Since we were a bank, thousands of our customers wouldn’t have been unable to access their funds had we not planned for this event ñ our planning really paid off and so will yours.
