Workplace Emergency Preparedness

Preparing the workplace for an emergency is critical to employee safety, reduced damage to buildings and a quick recovery of operations. According to CCOHS, employers should develop an emergency plan, share it with their employees, test and review it regularly, and revise it as necessary to reflect any changes that have occurred in plant infrastructure, processes, materials used and key personnel. The emergency plan should include:

• All possible emergencies, consequences, required actions, written procedures and the resources available;
• Detailed lists of personnel including home telephone numbers, duties and responsibilities;
• Floor plans and large scale maps showing evacuation routes and service conduits (such as gas and water lines).

CCOHS suggests conducting a vulnerability assessment to determine which technological (chemical or physical) and natural hazards pose a threat. Then determine the likeliness that the threat will occur, the impact it will make and how to prevent it from happening. Involving others in the planning process and clearly defining the chain of command for reporting the emergency and activating the emergency plan are recommended as well. Specific safe locations for staff to gather for head counts are also essential, CCOHS says. For information on emergency preparedness, click here.