Ensuring Business Continuity After an Emergency

Emergency situations, including those involving severe weather or violent crime, can occur at any time, and companies must be prepared, not only for the safety of their employees, but also to ensure that business will continue to run successfully following such an event.

“Knowing the potential risks your organization could have and implementing a strategy is the first step to a successful emergency response plan,” says William McGuire, the president and CEO of Global Elite Group, a company that provides security and emergency management services for organizations of various sizes. He adds that a risk assessment approach can be useful for many different industries because not all work environments are at risk for same emergency scenarios.

Part of a company’s business continuity plan for emergencies should include arrangements for a temporary office location and communication center to minimize business disruption following a disaster. According to McGuire, communication centers should be located in an unaffected area and include landline phones, satellite phones and computer back-up systems so that calls can easily be transferred and work can be maintained without requiring access to the affected location.

McGuire suggests that companies cross-train employees to ensure that if one worker is injured during an emergency and needs to take an extensive leave of absence, another worker will be able to fill his or her position. If an organization is unable to cross-train employees, managers should provide specific manuals with detailed instructions regarding each job so that employees can quickly learn to accomplish tasks normally performed by an absent worker.

Organizations often struggle to compile an effective emergency response plan due to “the wrong mindset of ‘this can’t happen to me,’” says McGuire. He stresses that although risk assessment may reveal a variety of potential emergencies, companies should stay focused on developing a single response plan that will allow for business continuity following any type of disastrous situation. That plan should be reviewed annually and updated after any changes are made to the company’s size, location or business dynamic. 

Wash, Wipe and Sanitize Your Way to a Healthier Workplace

Creating a healthier work culture may not only protect employees from becoming sick, but studies show that it may lead to a healthier bottom line, according to a study published in the September issue of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (JOEM).

A few years ago, Kimberly-Clark Professional discovered that companies in the United States lose $74,000 million a year due to lost productivity and absenteeism that occurs when employees become sick. To address the issue, and help companies build a healthier workplace culture, the company launched a pilot program of its Healthy Workplace Project in 2010. The project has since expanded it's reach to 40 different countries. 

The project involves a comprehensive approach designed to reduce workplace absenteeism and lost productivity by providing businesses the tools and materials to help combat germs in the workplace. In addition to their own product solutions, including the Healthy Workplace desk caddy, Kleenex, and disinfectant wipes, they provide thorough education, communication and workplace wellness programs, says Elane Stock, president of Kimberly-Clark Professional.

The Healthy Workplace Program focuses on three simple concepts in what they call a three-part “Hygienify” Routine:

Wash

Proper hand washing is the first step and best defense against spreading sickness and germs throughout the workplace. In fact, research shows that by washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, paying particular attention to the back of the hands, in-between the fingers and under the nails and thorough drying with paper towels can reduce germs by 77 %. Kimberly Clark notes it is important to wash before making/eating lunch, after using the restroom, after coughing, sneezing, touching the garbage or any contaminated surface. 

Wipe

“People may be aware that restrooms are germy, but really there lots of places in the workplace that are even germ-ier,” Stock says. "We found that in the break room where employees eat and prepare their lunch topped the list of office and manufacturing facility hotspots. You may or may not know this, but sink and microwave handles are the worst places. They are the dirtiest surfaces and they’re really touched by workers on a daily basis.”

High traffic areas like break rooms, handrails, doorknobs, keyboards and conference tables are perfect for transmitting unwanted germs. Many people touch these surfaces and transfer germs without ever knowing it. Germs can live on a surface for up to 48 hours, so it is important to wipe surfaces often. Cleaning high-touch surfaces (hotspots) daily, with sanitizing spray or a wipe, even if they appear to be clean can greatly reduce the spread of these germs, Stock says.

Sanitize

According to statistics, using hand sanitizer can reduce sick days by 21%. Viruses can be transferred between people up to 6 times, so, using hand sanitizer before and after interacting with other people can greatly reduce the likelihood of spreading germs, as sanitizer kills 99.9% of the most common disease causing germs. Hand sanitizing dispensers can be placed in high traffic areas with no access to soap and water as well.

More information is available at www.healthyworkplaceproject.com.

BOK Corner: Tackling the Top 10

Each year, OSHA issues the 10 most frequently cited standards of the previous year. With its vast library of resources, ASSE’s Body of Knowledge (BOK) can help visitors tackle those worst offenses. In each issue of Professional Safety in 2013, the BOK Corner counted down the OSHA Top 10 and gave readers a taste of what they can find in the BOK to help address these hazards.

The January through October issues each focused on one of 10 most frequently cited OSHA standards, and offered several example resources found in the BOK. The November issue offered the top rated BOK assets—those assets rated highest by registered users. Finally, the December issue will list the most downloaded BOK assets.

Be sure to register for the BOK to gain full access to all of these assets and more. Also, be sure to listen to the “Introduction to ASSE’s Body of Knowledge” podcast, which tells you all about this great resource and how you can contribute.

10 Tips for Implementing OHSAS 18001

Last week, British Standards Institute (BSI) hosted a webinar on Tricks to Implementing OHSAS 18001. Presenter Denise Wecker Seipke, an EHS manager at BSI, discussed ten things safety professionals should consider when implementing OHSAS 18001, many of which can also be applied to implementation of other occupational safety and health management standards, such as the ANSI/AIHA/ASSE Z10 standard.

1. Get commitment and support from senior management.
2. Engage the entire business using good internal communication.
3. Compare existing safety and health practices to those required by OHSAS 18001.
4. Get staff and supplier feedback on current safety and health management.
5. Establish an implementation team in order to get the best results.
6. Map out and share roles and responsibilities, and maintain well-defined timescales.
7. Adapt OHSAS 18001 requirements to best suit your business rather than starting from scratch.
8. Get staff involved using training and incentives.
9. Share OHSAS 18001 knowledge, and encourage staff to train as internal auditors.
10. Regularly review your OHSAS 18001 system to ensure that you are continually improving it.

Find out about future BSI webinars here.

End of Daylight Saving Time Brings Safety Challenges, NHTSA Offers Tips

As Daylight Saving Time recently ended for the year, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) offers safety tips for motorists and pedestrians. NHTSA warns the public to have a heighten awareness as the possibility for harm increases the earlier it becomes darker.

Tips for Motorists:

• Slow down to see pedestrians in your path.
• Remember that pedestrians wearing headphones, hats or earmuffs may not hear your vehicle.
• Keep your windshield, windows and mirrors clean. In addition, make sure your defrosters and windshield wipers are fully functional.

Tips for Pedestrians:

• Carry and use a flashlight or attach reflective materials to yourself or belongings so that you are visible to drivers.
• Don't become dependent on traffic signals for protection. 
• Avoid jaywalking and crossing between parked vehicles. Use crosswalks.
• Walk on sidewalks when possible. If you must walk on the street, face traffic.
• Watch out for cars at driveways and intersections.
• Remain focused on the road and avoid distractions.

For more safety tips and information, visit NHTSA's website.