Many plans are created early in a companys life but are not re-evaluated when a company moves locations, adds employees, changes the office footprint, or increases security features, such as badge-operated doors.Learn More Table of Contents A Traditional Emergency Plan What Constitutes an Emergency Evaluating Your Current Plan Communication Makes Perfect What Is a Mass Alert System How to Integrate a Mass Alert System Into Your Plan A More Prepared Organization Choosing the Right Software A Traditional Emergency Plan One of the most fundamental to-do items of any organization is to develop an emergency plan.Whether an organization has two employees or 200,000, it is critical to have a plan in place to ensure every member of your team knows what to do in an emergency.
It is one thing to say you should have a plan, to actually have a plan in place, and yet another to have practiced the plan. Nearly 60 percent of American adults surveyed admit they have never practiced what to do in a disaster at work in the past year. That means fewer than half of American workers will know what to do when an emergency arises. The first step in keeping your employees safe is to develop an emergency plan and to practice, practice, practice. Every emergency plan should make it crystal clear what actions employers and employees must take to ensure safety. Emergency Alert System Software How To Report EmergenciesOSHA stipulates a traditional emergency action plan should include the following: A preferred method for reporting fires and other emergencies An evacuation policy and procedure Emergency escape procedures and route assignments, such as floor plans, workplace maps, and safe or refuge areas Names, titles, departments, and telephone numbers of individuals both within and outside of the company for additional information or explanation of duties and responsibilities under the emergency plan Procedures that employees who remain will need to perform such as shutting down critical plant operations, operating fire extinguishers, or performing other essential services that cannot be left untouched for every emergency alarm before evacuating Rescue and medical duties for any workers designated to perform them The plan must include a way to alert employees to evacuate or take other action, and how to report emergencies. OSHA clarifies which communication systems are to be made available: A public address system Portable radio unit Other means to notify employees of the emergency and to contact local responders If you checked all of these items off your list, you may assume you are ready. Unfortunately, you are still at risk because these bullet points are not enough. Emergency Alert System Software Portable Radio UnitA portable radio unit With todays technology, are you really going to depend on walkie talkies While this plan may be traditional, it has some growing up to do. What Constitutes an Emergency One of the critical tasks an organization must tackle when developing an effective emergency plan is to determine its risk factors for each location and employee. ![]() Some offices are in skyscrapers while others are in a factory or warehouse. While risks will differ per location and company, we do have insight into some of the most common events that trigger the activation of an emergency plan. They include: IT outages Weather-related incidents Power outages Natural disasters Fires Facilities management incidents Security-related issues Health and safety incidents Cybersecurity incidents Travel disruption All of these instances could happen in any company, but there will likely be more potential issues that should be considered in order to prepare. While you cannot predict everything, you can survey each work environment to assess threats. The best plans, however, will be scalable enough to cover virtually any situation that may occur. ![]() Specifics may change depending on the circumstance, but there should be set guidelines that can be applied to any critical event. Evaluating Your Current Plan Most companies think they are prepared when they actually are at risk. When considering the what ifs and risks for each location, it is a good idea to also evaluate each work environment within those locations. Emergency plans need to be specific to not only the location but to the employees working in those locations. It is important to note whether your plan considers the layout of the building to understand the best evacuation routes, where emergency supplies might be located to offer the greatest accessibility, what accommodations there would be for handicapped employees, how parking is arranged to enable first responders to access the building quickly, and a designated safe zone for evacuated employees to gather or receive medical attention.
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