Emergencies and evacuations are far from ideal, especially when it happens at your place of business. Based on the nature of the emergency, it could cause significant damage to your property and your workers’ safety, particularly in fires or earthquakes.
According to the 2021 Report on Work Fatality and Injury Rates in Canada, 925 workers died due to work-related causes in 2019 through disease and injury. No business wants to experience such events, as major disasters could cause significant damage.
However, emergencies can be unpredictable. And although one cannot control when a disaster strikes, decision-makers could make preparations to help reduce potential damage and manage risks.
Focus on Prevention
The best method to stay away from emergencies is to make sure they don’t happen. Although not necessarily effective for natural disasters, working on prevention plans is effective in holding off emergencies caused by human error, such as fires or equipment failure.
To do this, conduct regular inspections and audits of your safety systems. When addressed immediately, faulty wiring and equipment could be less likely to cause significant damage.
Prepare an Emergency Response Plan
Any workplace establishment requires an emergency response plan, primarily if your place of business covers a sizable area with many workers.
The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) indicated six steps to creating an emergency response plan for your workplace. These steps are:
Create a planning team to lead the effort.
Assess workplace risks and capabilities.
Develop the plan.
Begin implementation by purchasing necessary equipment and training the planning team and the rest of the workforce.
Test the emergency response plan through drills and simulations.
Improve the plan as needed.
Preparing an emergency plan and purchasing the necessary equipment will consume a significant amount of time and resources. However, it is well worth the investment. You can always look online for quotes on emergency equipment, such as fire extinguishers and stair chair prices.
Back Up Important Files and Data
Many businesses rely heavily on information. From trade secrets and company procedures to employee and customer information, proper data storage is essential to keeping things running smoothly.
There are a variety of ways you could keep these documents safe.
One option is to upload digital copies of essential documents to an online storage system. This method ensures you have access to critical documents anytime and anywhere. However, one should ensure these files are digitally protected, as keeping them online also leaves them vulnerable to cyberattacks.
Another option is to keep important documents inside a safe that is resistant to fire, heat, and burglary tools. You could also opt to store copies of these documents in a different location.
Stay Insured
Getting business insurance is essential to protecting your business from several uncontrollable factors. Insurance coverage could make the difference between your business’s survival or failure.
Make sure to hold on to important insurance information, documents, and contact numbers, as you will likely need them when facing a workplace emergency.
Emergencies are often unpredictable, and no one can be one hundred percent prepared to deal with them when they happen. However, taking the time to prepare emergency procedures and equipment for your business will help minimize damage and help you recover.
