8 minute read
Why Every Facility Needs an Emergency Action Plan
We generally cannot predict when something unexpected is going to happen. I am a firm believer that If you fail to prepare, you are preparing to fail. These words may seem harsh, but you must have confidence that your employees know what to do when the unexpected happens. I am not talking about “Did you pack your rain gear?” In this article we are going to discuss situations that need your guidance on how you want your employees to respond. HOPE is never a good strategy. Train your employees before the unexpected happens, so you know your facility is prepared to respond the way you want them to respond.
In the “Health & Wellness” article written by a mystery writer in our last issue of Pet Care Pro, topic number two was safety, specifically weather safety this time of year. The author took the position that everyone has an Emergency Action Plan and have trained their employees on it. You never know when those high winds or a dreaded tornado might hit your establishment. Is your Emegency Contact List up to date? Do you have pre-arrangements for where your clients could be placed at other facilities should yours become unable to be occupied? It is important that you have your client and staff contact information current. The last thing you need is to not be able to get a hold of Fluffy’s parents to let them know she is ok after a storm. Are you prepared for what is needed from your facility should there be a disaster overnight, even if you are a 24-hour facility? Are your records stored on an offsite server or do you need to take a backup file with you when you leave work?
You need to know how to contact your customers and employees in the event there is an emergency. It is important that you communicate your Emergency/ Disaster Plans with your staff and train them with constant reminders as necessary. You might even let your clients/prospects know you have emergency plans in place. It might make them feel better about leaving their fourlegged loved ones with you!
Actions taken in the initial minutes of an emergency are often critical. When a warning is sounded, do your employees know what to do? When should they call public emergency services? Do they know how to provide full and accurate information to help the dispatcher send the right responders and equipment? An employee trained to administer first aid or perform CPR can be lifesaving. Actions by employees with knowledge of building and process systems can make a real difference for everyone before help does arrive.
Safety Consultants will tell you that an important step for any facility is to develop an Emergency Action Plan that describes what to do in specific situations and where to go. Document and share action items for specific situations in your facility. These action items should be designed so that anyone in the facility will be able to follow these directions, get assistance or know how and where to evacuate to a safe place. Many situations require different types of responses. Without a published Emergency Action Plan you are relying on individual responses as your safety strategy. Make sure your employees take the lead in any emergency and deliver clear, concise communications to ensure your customers and employees know what to do.
INFECTIOUS DISEASE One of the most devastating things is an infectious disease pandemic. Communications is critical during this period. Become a resource to your pet owners. Post information that owners are concerned about, such as infectious disease and what it means for their pet. Make your facility a source of knowledge and show leadership to your customers. Do you have basic prevention measures and controls displayed? You want your customers to consider what you are doing as best practice and feel safe visiting your facility during this time.
WORKPLACE ACCIDENT Every facility should have a written plan that outlines what to do during a workplace accident or if someone needs medical assistance. Does your facility have first-aid kits and other safety devices available? Does everyone know where to find them? Have you trained your employees on basic first aid and about personal safety? Do they know how to dispose of any trash that contains blood or body fluids? Do you use an Accident Report Form to make sure you capture vital information at the time of the incident?
EMERGENCY EVACUATION Do your employees know what to do if there is a fire or when an emergency evacuation is necessary? It would be wise to have an Emergency Evacuation Plan posted in every room showing the locations of safety equipment and exit routes to gathering points, and procedures to verify that everyone is out of the building for first responders.
You absolutely need to have an Emergency Evacuation Plan explaining to everyone the most direct egress or escape for people and pets to get away from any area that contains a threat, or a hazard to lives and property. Everyone must understand these procedures and practice them in advance. Planning is critical for everyone’s safety. Make
sure everyone knows where to gather in case of an emergency evacuation of your facility. Have an emergency contact information list of important names and numbers posted in plain sight. This could save a lot of time, stress, and perhaps even lives or property, by having this available at the time of an emergency.
SEVERE WEATHER As the earlier article discussed, one of the more common situations every facility must deal with is severe weather. Weather takes on different forms throughout the year, like severe storms or tornados, winter weather, or excessive heat during the summer. Any of these situations can cause serious risks or injuries to people and pets, alike. Do your employees know what to do when weather advisories are issued? Your preparedness and responses are different for each of these situations and following guidance can help avoid potential risks and hazards.
GAS AND POWER ISSUES Knowing what to do if you have a utility outage or a toxic chemical release at work is key to keeping employees and pets safe. If your facility uses gas, it is critical that everyone follows your action items for a gas leak which can be a serious health concern and even a threat to life. It is important that you have a plan for each area of your facility. If the power goes out, a dark room may cause the anxiety levels to rise quickly. Having a plan of action will help make sure your employees understand what to do. Procedures like checking batteries on emergency lighting so they work when you need them reduces stress. Instructions to keeping doors closed on refrigeration equipment and how to turn on/off generators helps keep everyone safe. Do not let things that you cannot control cause you to lose customers because you appear to be without guidance in situations like this. Demonstrate to your customers that you are a professional organization and have trained employees to manage situations and maintain safety for everyone.
DANGEROUS INTRUDER Some situations can be dangerous, like a robbery, workplace violence, or a bomb threat. Armed robbery is one of the most serious and potentially dangerous crimes today. You should train your employees on what to do if this happens in your facility. Your primary goal is to keep yourself, employees, and guests safe in the event of a robbery. Explaining to everyone in advance of how to respond and stay calm will reduce the risk of turning this into a dangerous emergency. Make sure everyone knows how you want them to act to help de-escalate the situation in order to keep everyone safe. It helps to make sure everyone understands your policies on providing a working environment where all employees, guests, and animals are safe and free from violence. Train employees on what is acceptable and
what is not acceptable conduct. If you have talked about situations before they occur, employees will be more prepared to deal with any specific situations when or if they occur.
MISSING PET Does your facility have written procedures of what to do if you have a missing pet? Most facilities have precautions like safety gates and doors to separate rooms to help keep everyone where they are supposed to be. But situations do occur. Do you have action item lists that you follow immediately when you have a pet reported missing? A quick response is required, and it helps to engage everyone quickly. Do you have documented procedures and processes to help recover the lost pet. It is also important to document what happened and learn how to avoid similar incidents in the future. It can be very damaging to your reputation if word gets out that the same thing happens all the time. Be pro-active and own the responses for your facility.
CHEMICAL SAFETY Last thoughts about preparing for possible situations in your facility. Today, chemicals are an important element of sanitation and cleaning in our environment. Chemicals are used daily, from cleaning fluids to pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and paints. While these chemicals have utility and benefits in their applications, they also have the potential to cause adverse effects.
As stated earlier, you do need a formal Emergency Action Plan that is specific to your facility and unique to your location and services. It is your responsibility to make sure all employees are trained on how to respond in emergency situations and know where the emergency contact phone numbers are posted. IBPSA just released an updated Emergency Action Plan in the store that includes all of these topics.
REVIEW YOUR PLANS Hope is never a good strategy. Take time to review your facility plans and use the facilities review sheet that is included in the plan to increase safety, knowledge, minimize risk, and potential exposures. It should be a requirement in your facility that everyone understands what to do if an unplanned emergency occurs. If you have recommendations of situations you would be willing to share, please let us know and we will provide periodic updates to this topic in the future.
ibpsa.com
