Nobody expects an emergency or disaster, especially one that affects them, their employees, and their business personally. Yet, emergencies and disasters can strike anyone, anytime, and anywhere. You and your employees could be forced to evacuate your company when you least expect it. This post is designed to help plan for that outcome if something like that were to happen. Our goal is to help you find ways to best protect yourself, your co-workers, and your business.

So what makes a workplace emergency different from any other emergency? A workplace emergency(just like other emergencies) can happen at any time and any place that can threaten your employees, customers, or the public; disrupts or shuts down your operations; or causes physical or environmental damage. It's always important to practice ahead time, before anything were to happen. Be aware and modify your plan when necessary - practice makes perfect. We recommend practicing your emergency plan about every six months and modify if necessary. If you are unaware of what an emergency/evacuation plan looks like, follow this link! It's important to have everyone be aware of their own responsibilities and duties during a work place emergency.

When an emergency occurs, the first priority is always life safety. There are many actions that can be taken to stabilize an incident and minimize potential damage. First aid and CPR by trained employees can save lives. Use of fire extinguishers by trained employees can extinguish a small fire. Containment of a small chemical spill and supervision of building utilities and systems can minimize damage to a building and help prevent environmental damage. All of these items can come in handy in the right place at the right time.

A plan should be established and resources should be on hand, or quickly, available to prepare a facility. The plan should also include a process for damage assessment, salvage, protection of undamaged property and cleanup following an incident. These are actions to minimize further damage and business disruption.

Making sure that you are prepared is our #1 priority. Please take the time to review appropriate actions in order to make sure that you are safe and protected during un-certain times. Whether it's a job loss or an oncoming hurricane, The  Ready Store can help you be prepared with food, water, emergency supplies whenever you need it. We are always here to make sure that you are always ready.

References; 

Photo Credit - http://www.schooltrainingsolutions.com/emergency-procedures/

https://www.osha.gov

https://www.ready.gov/