Businesses must continually look toward the future. Most people think of this as financial, supply, and demand forecasting, but it can concern other facets of your business as well such as operational emergencies.
The increasing rate of unforeseen events in our world today, ranging from natural disasters to health pandemics and workplace accidents, underlines the importance of emergency preparedness. An Emergency Preparedness Plan (EPP) is a systematic approach aimed at preventing, managing, and coordinating emergency situations. It ensures there is a clear, efficient response when a disaster arises, thereby minimizing loss and ensuring business continuity. Here are steps on how to create an EPP for your organization.
But, what exactly is an emergency preparedness plan, and how do you go about creating one? Here are The S&P Group’s top tips for creating an emergency preparedness plan. If you’re looking for a reliable, experienced EHS specialist to help you create and implement your EPP, we encourage you to give us a call.
An Emergency Preparedness Plan is exactly as the name sounds - it’s a way for businesses to invest in resilience and preparedness so that the stakeholders of a firm have the greatest potential protection against future risks. Furthermore, the probability of risk occurring in the first place is minimized.
Any type of emergency preparedness plan is better than none, but the best plans incorporate a full risk assessment and the creation of procedures to protect employees, customers, products and services, and information. An emergency preparedness plan can be made by anyone for anything, but businesses seeking an optimal plan for comprehensive protection should seek the help of an experienced professional such as an EHS specialist or similarly trained individual or team.
Emergency preparedness plans should be incorporated into all businesses, regardless of industry or sector. First and foremost, emergency preparedness plans are the most effective way to ensure the health and safety of employees and any stakeholder impacted by a business.
It’s hard, if not impossible, to know when disaster may strike. Certain industries are more dangerous than others, but regardless, it’s important to have a plan in place to minimize the disorder and insecurity caused by an emergency and maximize the effectiveness and response time.
, being prepared for emergencies can give a competitive advantage to businesses. For example, having defenses against a cyber attack will improve the chances that a business and its stakeholders will continue to thrive if the unthinkable happens.
Every business is different, but the following tips and considerations can act as a general resource or guide for those seeking to create an emergency preparedness plan.
Begin with conducting a thorough risk assessment to identify potential emergencies that could occur within your organization. This involves evaluating your work environment, geographical location, operations, and activities, enabling you to pinpoint hazards relevant to your business. A comprehensive risk assessment includes an analysis of the potential impact each hazard could have and the appropriate measures to be taken.
Consider the following:
A thorough risk assessment should also include a Hazard Vulnerability Assessment (HVA). An HVA will identify any risks affecting the day-to-day operations of a business, and then rate the risk based on probability and severity.
An emergency preparedness plan becomes even more robust when including local fire, building, mechanical, and electrical codes. A review of local code may identify more specific precautions and processes that need to be implemented to ensure health and safety.
Be sure to comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and have a plan in place that meets or exceeds their expectations.
An emergency preparedness plan should support the health and safety of all stakeholders, not just the management team. The plan will therefore need to include employees of all levels, customers that use the business's products, and services, or visit the business’s physical location, as well as the environment and surrounding infrastructure.
The plan should not only incorporate every stakeholder to some extent, but it’s equally important that these stakeholders are educated on the plan itself. Employees should receive emergency preparedness training while customers, suppliers, and other visitors should be able to understand the key parts of an emergency plan clearly (for example, by using lights, alarms, and fire exit signs in the event of a fire emergency). Create an emergency preparedness plan that is inclusive, and seek out the best channels to distribute the plan to all who are a part of it.
After identifying potential risks, design procedures outlining the actions necessary to handle each type of emergency. These should include evacuation drills, containment processes, casualty handling, etc., depending on the nature of your business. Each procedure should come with clear guidelines including who is responsible for what, what steps should be taken, and when these steps should be initiated.
An emergency preparedness plan will also need to include a list of contacts. This list should contain emergency contacts of individuals working for the business, but also contact information of all help and resource centers such as police, fire department, hazard control, and human resources, just to name a few. A list of emergency contacts in the preparedness plan gives the business the ability to reach the right people when they’re needed.
A proper EPP involves the creation of an Emergency Response Team (ERT). This team's members are trained in emergency management skills such as first aid, evacuation coordination, and communication. Being intimately familiar with the EPP, the ERT is indispensable in ensuring the seamless operation of the plan when emergencies occur.
How you deliver information during a crisis can make a tremendous difference. Develop a robust communication plan that covers all possible scenarios. This includes designating a spokesperson, establishing channels for disseminating information to staff, clients, the media, and other relevant parties, and developing templates for emergency notifications to save time during crucial moments.
Adequate resources and equipment play a pivotal role in emergency preparedness. Ensure you have all the necessary equipment, such as first-aid kits, fire extinguishers, containment materials, safety gear, emergency contact lists, etc. Also, consider access to additional resources such as trauma counseling or emergency response services.
No matter how well-prepared it might seem, an EPP is useless if the team members do not know how to execute it effectively. Regular training sessions and emergency drills should be a part of your strategy. These practices allow for the testing and refining of the EPP and give team members vital hands-on experience. It also helps to familiarize everyone with emergency procedures which can help to minimize panic when an actual emergency happens.
Emergency preparedness is a continuous process. As you keep refining your operations, the risks keep changing. Therefore, it is crucial to regularly review and update your plan to effectively meet these changing risks. Along with periodic reviews, the plan should also be reviewed after every emergency incident. This would help identify any gaps in the plan and make improvements where necessary.
Creating an Emergency Preparedness Plan may seem daunting, but with a well-structured approach, it can be a constructive process that makes your workplace safer and more resilient. Remember, a good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow. When it comes to emergency preparedness, the time for action is always now.
If you’re in the process of creating or refining your emergency preparedness plan, the best way to ensure the highest level of safety and protection is by working with an experienced EHS specialist. Don’t let an emergency beat you to the punch! Contact The SP Group for EHS consulting, occupational health and safety, and facility support.