“Be Prepared” – The Boy Scout Motto Rings True
By Dawn Robson
Accidents can happen when you least expect it – but it is your advanced planning that will enable you and your organization to handle it effectively.
More than 3,000 earthquakes occur in British Columbia each year although most are too small to be felt. With seismic activity caused by a number of different geological events, there is also talk of “the big one” along this Pacific Ring of Fire. This knowledge, along with stories of devastation in New Zealand, Nepal and elsewhere in the world, should cause us to prepare. “Drop, Cover and Hold On” are the guidelines provided if you are inside a building when the earthquake appears. That is: drop to the floor, seek cover under a table or desk and hold on to something solid. It is recommended that you have an emergency kit available as power and accessibility may be limited, and there could also be medical emergencies. As an employer and an individual, you should take this possibility seriously and ensure that you have a plan in place in case something happens.
The Great British Columbia ShakeOut is the province’s largest earthquake drill and it will take place on Thursday, October 19th at 10:19am. This event is aligned with similar events all over the world and has been designed to teach or remind people how to be safer during big earthquakes. The ShakeOutBC website (www.shakeoutbc.ca) provides lots of materials on how to act and what to expect during an earthquake. This site also guides you on how to participate in the October 19th event and ensure that your plans are in place. This is a great opportunity to demonstrate your organization’s commitment to safety and may help inspire your staff to develop their own personal plans for home.
Fire and Evacuation Plans
All buildings should have an evacuation plan that maps the location of the fire alarms, fire extinguishers and appropriate exits for use during an emergency. Your office space should have the same thing in a central location – but you will need to ensure that your employees are properly trained on what to do in the event of a fire. Personal safety should be the main priority and the organization should have an emergency evacuation program, complete with employee lists, wardens, sweepers – and a designated spot for employees to meet. The fire department will need to ensure that people are safely outside and accounted for – or someone may need to go inside to look for them.
If you have first aid attendants in your office, these people should bring out their medical supplies if possible and be available to address a medical situation if and as qualified.
Fire and evacuation plans should be incorporated into your employee orientation program, so that new employees know what to do. In order to keep this top of mind for your staff, it is good to schedule evacuation drills on a regular basis to ensure that all employees are able to remain safe.
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