Emergency Evacuation Plans

Emergencies are unavoidable—fires, floods, shootings, cyberattacks. The only thing worse than an emergency is being unprepared for it. Just ask yesterday's "Worst Employer" nominee. A well-crafted Emergency Action Plan (EAP) keeps everyone safe and your business running. Here's 10 things to consider in creating one: 1./ Assess Your Risks Identify the emergencies most likely to hit you—whether natural disasters, workplace violence, or data breaches. Prioritize based on impact and likelihood. 2./ Get Employee Input Your employees are on the front lines and often spot risks management misses. Including their insights builds a better plan and fosters buy-in. 3./ Assign Clear Responsibilities Who calls 911? Who initiates evacuations? Everyone should know their role before an emergency strikes to avoid confusion in the heat of the moment. 4./ Map Out Evacuation Plans Chart exits, evacuation routes, and assembly points. Make sure everyone can evacuate safely, including employees with disabilities. 5./ Establish Communication Channels Use multiple methods—emails, texts, and phone trees. Keep clients, vendors, and other stakeholders informed, too. 6./ Stock Emergency Supplies First-aid kits, fire extinguishers, and flashlights are must-haves. Regularly check supplies so nothing fails in a real emergency. 7./ Plan for Business Continuity Know which processes must keep running and how to do it—whether remote work, cloud backups, or backup vendors. 8./ Stay Compliant Verify if OSHA or other laws require specific elements in your plan. Non-compliance can mean fines. 9./ Train, Drill, and Support Your Team Hold regular drills, offer training refreshers, and provide mental health support after stressful events. 10./ Debrief, Report, and Improve After every emergency or drill, debrief with your team. File necessary incident reports for OSHA or insurance. Assign someone to review and update the plan regularly. Emergencies aren't predictable, but your preparation should be. A well-thought-out EAP protects your people and helps your business bounce back as quickly and easily as possible.

As Hurricane Helene approaches Florida, employers should be continuing preparations for landfall and the aftermath. The Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act and OSHA standards require employers to take certain actions to ensure a safe and healthy workplace and make preparations for potential risks, including with regard to events like hurricanes and other natural disasters. Here are some key requirements: General Duty Clause: The OSH Act requires that employers provide a workplace free from recognized hazards that could cause death or serious harm, including preparing for and responding to hurricanes and their related hazards. Employers are further required to protect employees from anticipated hazards associated with the response and recovery efforts employees are expected to perform. Emergency Action Plans (EAPs): Under OSHA standards, many employers must develop and implement EAPs, covering evacuation procedures, emergency contact information, and roles for employees during emergencies, such as hurricanes. Training: Employers are also required to provide training with employees on emergency procedures, including evacuation and shelter-in-place protocols, to ensure they know what to do during a hurricane. Hazard Communication: Employers must inform employees about potential hazards, such as chemical spills or structural damage, that could occur during or after a hurricane. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Employers may need to provide necessary PPE for employees involved in clean-up and recovery efforts following the hurricane. Post-Event Safety: Employers may be required to conduct hazard assessments and ensure the workplace is safe before employees return to work after a hurricane. Stay safe everyone!

I moved my family to the beach after 26 years of living in metro Atlanta where we typically didn't plan for hurricanes. As I was preparing for #hurricanehelene, here are some key steps I've been taking that are similar to a business preparing for a natural disaster. Is your business ready for #hurricanehelene? Preparing for a #hurricane is crucial to ensuring safety and minimizing damage. Here's a step-by-step guide: 1. Stay Informed/Keep employees and clients informed 2. Monitor Weather Alerts: Follow the National Hurricane Center or local weather channels for updates, while communicating to clients and loved ones 3. Sign Up for Alerts: Enable emergency notifications on your phone or radio. 4. Create an Emergency Plan/DR plan - where and when to failover, #RPO and #RTO requirements defined and tested 5. Evacuation Routes/ #DR plan: Know your area’s evacuation routes and shelter locations. 6. Family/Company Communication Plan: Agree on a meeting place and ensure everyone knows how to contact each other. 7. Employee Pet Safety: Include plans for your pets, identifying pet-friendly shelters if needed for our furry friends 8. Prepare an Emergency Kit Essentials: Pack enough food, water, and supplies to last at least 3 days. Supplies: Bottled water (1 gallon per person per day) Non-perishable food Flashlights and extra batteries First aid kit Medications and prescriptions Personal hygiene items Important documents (IDs, insurance papers) in waterproof containers Portable phone chargers Cash (in case ATMs or card services are down) Tools and basic repair supplies Whistle (to signal for help) Face masks and hand sanitizer 9. Protect Your Home Windows and Doors: Board up windows with plywood or install hurricane shutters. Outdoor Items: Secure loose outdoor items (e.g., lawn furniture, grills, etc.) or bring them indoors. Roof and Gutters: Check for loose tiles or shingles and clear gutters to prevent flooding. Emergency Generator: If you have one, ensure it’s operational and has enough fuel. Flood Proofing: Elevate electrical appliances and utilities. Use sandbags to protect your property if in a flood zone. 11. Follow Evacuation Orders If local authorities advise evacuation, leave early to avoid being trapped by flooding or road closures. Secure your home before leaving—turn off water, gas, and electricity if advised. 12. Stay Indoors During the Storm Stay in a safe room or an interior space away from windows. Use flashlights instead of candles to avoid fire hazards. Keep listening to updates and stay informed about the storm's progress. 13. After the Storm Wait for official confirmation that it's safe to go outside. Be cautious of hazards such as downed power lines or flooded areas. Avoid driving in flooded streets and be cautious of weakened structures. #apnproud #apnpartners #naturaldisaster #dot #aws #cloud

Evacuation plan layout Hello #linkedin, With the new OSHA Amendment 2022 enforced, Section 15 (2) (f) mentioned the needs of employer to develop and implemented procedures that may arise while the workers at work. One of the basic things to have in an emergency management is the 'Evacuation plan'. Why? By having this, workers including outsiders : visitor, contractors, etc, whom present at your company, can know which route to be taken for evacuation during emergency. As of now, there are no 'fixed' template enforced by any local Malaysia legal on it. But one of the guidance that you can follow is the ISO 23601 : 2020 Safety identification — Escape and evacuation plan signs. The key points of the standard are: Purpose: ✔️ The standard is designed to assist in identifying escape routes and evacuation procedures. Sign Design: ✔️ The signs must be clear, easily understandable, and universally recognizable. ✔️ The design should use standardized symbols, colors, and formats to ensure that individuals can quickly interpret the information, even in stressful situations. ✔️ The symbols used on evacuation plans should be simple and include clear directions or instructions, such as exit routes, assembly points, and emergency equipment. Location and Visibility: ✔️ Escape and evacuation plan signs should be prominently displayed in areas where they can be seen from any point, especially near exits, stairways, and elevators. ✔️ The signs should be installed in places where they are unlikely to be obscured or obstructed by furniture or other structures. You can buy it from the ISO website to read further. I upload an example of an evacuation layout as referring to the ISO 23601 standard. Hope my sharing helps. #EmergencyManagement #Safety #HSE