Now that we are well into January and working on our personal New Year resolutions, it’s time to give some thought to resolutions for our workplaces too!
Odds are that an unexpected event will affect all businesses at one time or another. It may be a medical emergency for someone on your team or a natural disaster that could could happen at any point, often without any warning.
It’s common for emergency preparedness to be pushed down the priority list, so what better time than now to ensure that your business is well prepared for an emergency!
Here are some actions to take today to ensure that your business is well prepared for any emergency by the end of the month.
Resolution 1 – Get your emergency kit in order!
An emergency kit is critical to support you and your employees during a disaster or emergency! Take some time at the beginning of this New Year to review the contents of your business emergency kit. Check out Building an Awesome Emergency Kit for a quick list of items to stock in your emergency kit and remember to keep the season in mind.
Consider asking your employees to prepare their own individual emergency kit too. Some items that can be included in a personal emergency kit are non-perishable food, prescription medication, a flashlight and extra batteries, and a change of clothes (including comfortable walking shoes). Here are some ideas for a personal emergency kit from members of the ePACT team: Preparedness at ePACT – Personal Emergency Kits. And if you really want to motivate your staff to do this, consider hosting a contest to see which of your departments is able to put together their kits the fastest!
Resolution 2 – Develop an emergency procedure and practice!
Knowing what to do when an emergency strikes is critical for employee safety. Develop an evacuation plan, and then practice with drills to make this second nature for your team! Make sure everyone knows where your emergency supplies are located, where the emergency exits are, common hazards and what their role is in an emergency.
You can find suggestions for emergency procedures, and practice drills in these articles:
Resolution 3 – Make sure your employees’ emergency support network is accurate and up-to-date
Although we don’t like to think about it, emergencies both big and small can happen. Whether it’s an individual injury or a large scale earthquake, you want to ensure each and every one of your team members has a loved one to help them through difficult times. Despite this, there are many Myths about your Emergency Support Network, including the assumptions that information is up to date, that emergency contacts know that they are listed as such, and that these people will know how to support your valued employees in an actual crisis.
Having accurate, up to date contact information for emergency contacts is the first step to reunite your employees with their family and friends, so they receive the right support in an emergency situation. As your organization collects and updates emergency details, consider using ePACT to simplify the process as much as possible. Using ePACT, you can send an email invite to all your employees at once. Each member of your team can create a single emergency record, and update their medical details and contact information as soon as changes happen. Plus, they will connect their ePACT record to their emergency contacts, ensuring they know their role in a crisis and that you have a way to communicate with them directly. ePACT makes it easy for you to manage emergency information and provide the best care for your team in an unexpected situation.
That’s it! A few actions you can take today to prepare your business for an emergency. What a great way to start the New Year! We hope yours is happy and safe!
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