No matter how small or large your company is, you must have an emergency action plan and share it with your employees. Even if you have just one employee, OSHA requires that you have an emergency action plan. Would you be prepared if a fire, earthquake, or other disaster occurred right now? Are your employees? Do they know where to go and what to do? Will they be protected from injury while attempting to leave the workplace? Here is everything you need to know about OSHA emergency planning if you’re a site manager or business owner.
Why You Should Prepare for Emergencies at Workplaces and Job Sites
You should be prepared for emergencies in your workplace and on the job site to protect your employees, yourself, and your business, stay compliant with OSHA regulations and be ready if an emergency were to happen. OSHA requires employers to develop a written emergency action plan (EAP) that outlines how they will manage workplace emergencies. The EAP must include procedures for evacuation, sheltering-in-place, and firefighting actions. Your EAP should also address hazards specific to your industry or the type of work performed by employees.
Identify Risks with a Professional Service
An emergency risk assessment is a detailed review of all aspects of your business and its physical location. This can be done by an internal risk management department or by a third party (an independent third-party auditor). A professional service will not only identify these risks but also evaluate their likelihood so that you can develop appropriate prevention strategies. Risk assessments should consider possible emergencies such as fires and natural disasters and more common hazards like slips and falls in the workplace or injuries from machinery malfunctions.
Train Your Employees on OSHA Regulations
Ensure that your employees are trained on OSHA regulations. The more they know, the better prepared they will be for an emergency. It is important that everyone on your payroll gets thorough training to understand what is expected of them when unforeseen circumstances arise. Capstone Fire can help train employees on OSHA regulations and can identify potential risks at your job site that may come up later on.
Have a Plan For When an Emergency Will Happen
An emergency action plan is a written document intended to organize and support the actions you and your employees take during on-the-job emergencies. A well-developed emergency plan can save lives and save your business. If you do not have a well-developed emergency plan, it can confuse your employees who are unsure of what to do when susceptible to injury, death, and property damage.
Hire a Private Emergency Response Service to Come Quickly
Hiring a private emergency response service can help you be ready for any situation. With this type of service, you will have more than just your employees on alert; the professionals sent to help can escort people to safety and provide first aid and medical evacuation. They also have plans for every type of disaster or emergency so that you can be prepared for any situation.
Safety should be the top priority in any workplace. You can do your part by ensuring everyone knows the plan and knows to report it when a potential hazard occurs. We hope you’ll take steps to implement these tips and protect yourself, your coworkers, and your employees. Capstone Fire offers private emergency response services that can come quickly in the event of any crisis, fire, or onsite accident.
