10/ 02/ 2006
by Charles R. McConnell
The idea of preparing for emergencies might seem to be a contradiction in terms. A pure emergency is a completely unanticipated event; what will happen, and when it will occur are unknown beforehand. How can we prepare to deal with some event if we don't know what form it will take, or when it will happen?
Luckily, we're not completely ignorant of the forms different emergencies might take. As far as emergency preparation is concerned, we can anticipate what will happen to some extent and develop plans from there. Businesses prepare for the possibility of fire, for example, by using smoke detectors, strategically placing extinguishers in different spots, observing safety procedures when handling combustibles and learning how to report a fire. Therefore, we know something about what might happen, but we rarely know in advance how much will happen. That is, we can't anticipate the extent of an emergency.
Consider Hurricane Katrina. Many individuals, businesses and agencies felt they were adequately prepared for hurricanes. Hadn't they dealt with them many times? But few had considered the possible extent of the storm, and it's likely that even fewer anticipated the related failure of the levees.
Larger businesses and institutions are usually better prepared for emergencies than smaller businesses. Large companies may have their own internal fire departments, hospitals and nursing homes, as well as emergency plans and the mandatory safety education required by various regulatory and accreditation agencies. Some of these legal requirements, such as regulations governing the handling of dangerous substances and the safety rules set forth by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, affect small businesses. But for many safety issues, small businesses are on their own.
For businesses of all sizes and kinds, emergency preparedness starts with employee communication and safety training. Safety training should involve education in the company's safety rules and, ideally, a thorough grounding in published emergency plans. This, of course, suggests that most companies should have emergency plans in writing, and that all employees should be familiar with these plans. Three categories of suggested emergency plans include: those addressing what to do in the event of a general disaster (fire, flood, tornado, etc.); those addressing hazards and potential events specific to the company's industry; and plans addressing medical emergencies, such as heart attacks or traumatic injuries.
Planning for general disasters
Every business needs rules to follow in the event of fire. In many places, insurance carriers and fire codes require that businesses post procedures and fire extinguisher instructions. Most businesses should also plan for whatever form of natural disaster might strike in the area, whether it is a hurricane, tornado, earthquake, flood or snow emergency.
Preparing for industry-specific emergencies
Many businesses face the possibility of emergencies that happen because of the nature of their industry. Businesses dealing with toxic substances, for example, face the possibility of spills and other mishaps; mining operations must be prepared for cave-ins and explosions. Retail operations, which comprise the largest number of small businesses, all face the possibility of armed robbery.
Anticipating medical emergencies
Every business faces the possibility of a medical emergency occurring on its premises. Employees, customers and other visitors have heart attacks, strokes, seizures and other critical experiences. These can happen anywhere at any time.
The keys to emergency preparedness for any business lie in communication and education. Management must take the time to identify and analyze the more likely areas of exposure and provide "how-to" procedures for reacting to emergencies. Procedures need not be elaborate; you might include them in employee handbooks, policy manuals or simple bulletin-board postings. What's important is ensuring that employees know these procedures.
At very least, every business needs emergency plans or procedures covering:
- What to do in the event of fire (how and where to turn, how to proceed with evacuation, etc.)
- How to act when witnessing theft (shoplifting, etc.)
- How to respond to armed robbery (to do as much as possible to ensure one's own safety when threatened)
- What to do in an emergency unique to your business or its product or service (dealing with a chemical spill or release of harmful fumes, for example)
- How to proceed in a natural disaster (in whatever kind of disaster is most likely considering the business' location)
- How to respond to a medical emergency
Employees who are educated in appropriate procedures will know how to react in emergency situations. By their very nature, emergencies cannot be completely avoided, but knowledgeable employees can substantially lessen the impact of emergencies when they do arise.
