The nation is still reeling from the tornado outbreak that occurred just two weeks ago on the night of Dec. 10th and 11th. The disaster is of historic proportions, with 44 tornadoes reported across 8 states and which, so far, has killed nearly a hundred people nationwide and injured countless more, some of whom were working at the time. After witnessing the devastation, it’s only natural to question our own safety- the nagging 2 AM worry of ‘would a similar disaster scenario have the same outcome for me or my team?’; in the wake of a tragedy such as this, it’s essential for businesses to re-evaluate safety precautions and procedures to ensure that their employees are knowledgeable of what course of action to take in an emergency. Creation and utilization of an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) within your business won’t stop disasters from happening, but it will better educate and prepare your team for what to do in a disaster scenario.
An EAP establishes planned responses for hazardous situations, ensuring safety following sudden, dangerous incidents. Having a detailed plan in place ensures employees know what to do in emergencies, which in turn promotes calm, organized response efforts. In the event of an emergency, employees should carefully follow the EAP; failing to do so could worsen the situation or even create additional hazards.
EAPs traditionally include information including:
- How employees can report fires and other emergencies
- Evacuation procedures and emergency escape route assignments
- Procedures for employees who may need to operate critical plant operations before they evacuate
- How will account for all employees after an emergency evacuation has been completed
- Rescue and medical duties
- Names or job titles of persons who can be contacted in emergencies
To assist you in building an EAP for your business, we have provided you with two resources to help simplify the process:
To download an EAP template that includes pre-written procedures for everything ranging from medical emergencies on the job site to hazardous chemical spills, click here.
To download an EAP presentation template to assist your team in presenting your EAP to your business, click here.
