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Every year over 145 million emergencies are responded to in the United States. With many of us spending 40 or more hours each week at our jobs, the workplace is just as susceptible as our home to experience a disaster.
When we think of an emergency a variety of disastrous scenarios come to mind. Whether it’s a fire, inclement weather, or a terrorist threat no workplace is immune.
If calamity strikes, will your workplace be ready? Don’t wait until it’s too late. Keep reading to learn more about the proper steps for creating an emergency preparedness checklist for your business.
When fear sets in our natural instinct of survival can override priorities. Implementing preassigned duties prevents safety measures from getting lost in the shuffle as you take steps on how to prepare your business for an emergency.
Tasks may include dialing 911, head counting, or gathering supplies. These steps can easily be neglected from the false assumption “someone else” is handling it. Have employees volunteer to ensure they’ll feel comfortable performing an assigned duty.
Just like an emergency itself, every workplace’s layout is different. Review your building’s blueprint to know which areas are accessible or require key access. The safest location in your facility will vary depending on the type of emergency.
Stairwells are typically best for severe weather like a tornado, while you’ll need access to the highest point of a building during a flood. Review exits so each employee knows the nearest one available to his or her workstation during an evacuation such as a fire.
As you prepare your workplace for an emergency, be mindful of situations requiring employees to stay on-site for several days. A supply pack should be a part of every company’s emergency preparedness checklist.
At a minimum, this should include a first aid kit, non-perishable foods, blankets, and flashlights. A battery-powered radio should be on-site to receive news broadcasts. None of these items require a plug which is crucial should your facility lose power.
Businesses are at risk each year of losing significant revenue because of documents and servers that aren’t backed up. A sudden emergency means it will likely be too late to secure any of this. Fortunately, it’s possible to restore damaged documents.
Whether it’s a natural disaster or cyber attack, backing up data saves your business from serious financial or continuity setbacks. Employees knowing their work is safe leaves one less item to worry about as your business reacts to an emergency.
Have recovery steps in place as you create your business emergency preparedness checklist. Employees may not have access to the workplace depending on the severity of a catastrophe and may need to work from home.
Have a communication system prepared to keep employees updated outside of the workplace. Resources like a VPN system allows access to workplace servers with an Internet connection from home.
Every workplace is unique and an emergency preparedness checklist may differ from one another. As you prioritize each step remember safety comes first. You can always buy new facility equipment, but you can’t replace a human life.
The best strategy to combating an emergency is a Priority Response Emergency Plan (P.R.E.P.) Unlimited Restoration, Inc. can come to your facility and provide a free consultation. Sign up to learn more about how we can tailor a P.R.E.P. for your business and become a part of our preferred member list.
