Safety Moment - Emergency Preparedness

What should I do in an emergency situation?

Emergencies can occur in any location, from severe weather storms and natural disasters to chemical spills, explosions and workplace violence.

It is important to know what to do in case you experience such an emergency.

How can I prepare for an emergency?

Do you know what to do to stay safe in a natural or other disaster? In the event of an emergency, natural or otherwise, it is important to make sure you are aware of your company’s Evacuation Plan.

It’s very easy to panic during an emergency; being mentally and physically prepared may help to minimize that feeling of panic and enable you to keep cool, calm, collected, and most importantly, safe.

There are many different types of emergency in the workplace or at home. It’s important to know how to react to each individual situation:

• Severe Weather
• Fire
• Chemical release/spills
• Explosions
• Workplace violence

How do I make an emergency preparedness plan?

Start with a list of do's and don'ts.

Do's

• Know your company’s plan
• Know your evacuation route
• Keep calm in an emergency
• Evacuate the building immediately upon hearing the fire alarm on your floor
• Listen for instructions from the Public Address Systems
• Close each door of the office as you leave
• Form a single file evacuation line – follow instructions
• Use stairwells for evacuation, not the elevators, and hold on to the handrails
• Clear the way for the fire department and follow their instructions

Don'ts

• Do not smoke
• Do not ignore fire alarms
• Do not use the elevators - evacuate by stairwells only
• Do not panic or run on the stairwells
• Do not return to your premises until the “All Clear” is given by the authority in charge

Knowing what to do in an emergency is just as important as knowing how to prevent them from happening in the first place. All too often bad situations are made worse when individuals are ill prepared for the bad things that can happen, whether that is at work or at home.

Take company policies and procedures regarding emergency response seriously. Keeping calm and knowing how to respond to an emergency may save your life or those around you.

When an emergency occurs, the priority is always life safety. The second priority is the stabilization of the incident and minimizing potential damage.

Always

• Evacuate
• Shelter
• Shelter in place
• Lockdown