We often imagine offices to be free of the dangers we see in other work environments. But you’re in no way free from all potential dangers – and outright emergencies that can threaten both your business and the lives of those working for it are more common than you may think. If you want to ensure that your office is prepared for emergencies, then it’s best that you are aware of the emergencies that may strike your business.
Fires
A fire is probably the first thing that people think of when it comes to office emergencies, and there’s little wonder why; fires are more common in offices than a lot of people like to admit. This is why there are usually so many fire drills every year! (And if you’re not having fire drills several times a year, then you’re doing it wrong! You can read more about getting them in place at http://smallbusiness.chron.com/.) Ensuring you have a strong evacuation plan, as well as fire extinguishers and smoke detectors, should ensure that everyone gets out okay.
Individual medical emergencies
When people think about office emergencies, they usually consider emergencies that occur to the entire workforce; they often forget to consider the medical emergencies that only one person may suffer. This can be anything from an injury sustained on the job due to a fall to a heart attack. One of the best things you can do to help tackle these issues is to be prepared. Having medical supplies on-site at all times is essential; you can check out https://emergacenter.com/ for more information. You may also want to consider getting some first aid training for some of your employees to help make sure that there’s always someone on-site who can tackle certain problems.
Extreme weather
You may be unlucky enough to own a business situated in an area that’s particularly susceptible to bad weather conditions. Floods, earthquakes, and even tornadoes are worth keeping in mind. Using a resource like https://www.wunderground.com/ can alert you to incoming dangerous weather; this can help you keep people away from work if it’s going to be a hazard. You may also want to review your insurance policies to see to what extent you’re financially protected in these scenarios. Each situation will need its own emergency procedures; earthquakes may require you to duck for cover and stay put, whereas flooding will require evacuation due to electrical risks. Speaking of which…
Power outages
Power cuts are a lot more dangerous than people often think. It can be an indication of an electrical problem that can become something more serious – after all, most office fires are caused by electrical problems. Thankfully, you’ll probably spend most office hours in daylight, so it should be easy to retain visibility if the power cuts out. Still, winter months will see earlier darkness, so you’ll need to ensure you have flashlights on-site. Injuries in power outages often occur simply because people can barely see where they’re going! If you can get backup generators for your workplace, then this is probably the ideal solution to outages.