It is a common management practice to have a policy statement on the handling of emergency situations, which may include accidents, fires, unusual weather conditions, etc. The idea here is to have a policy listed in the table of contents or the index of an employee handbook or policy manual that a supervisor can turn to for on–the–spot guidance. Most companies actually go into detailed procedures for handling specific types of emergencies, while others simply refer the supervisor to the appropriate sources of help either within or outside the company.
Very few policies in this area are actual policy statements as such; most are lists of steps to take, lists of emergency numbers to call, and so forth. In other words, the emphasis is more on procedures than on company philosophy or attitudes. And in this case, such an approach makes a great deal of sense. After all, the supervisor probably wouldn't be looking up this particular policy if he or she weren't faced with an emergency and in need of immediate instruction or advice. So it seems quite appropriate to take advantage of the policy–manual format to provide this information.
Points to cover
The content of policies on emergencies varies widely, depending on whether the company wants to group all the different types of emergencies together or treat each one separately; for example, you might have a policy on accidents, another on what to do in case of fire, and another on how to administer first aid. The best approach is the one that will help your supervisors the most. Here are some points to cover:
Definition of "emergency." Specify what is considered an emergency situation for the purposes of your policy statement. Be sure to identify each type clearly on the page if you are trying to cover more than one. A supervisor who is in a hurry should be able to locate the information he or she needs without searching unnecessarily.
Procedures to follow. For each type of emergency situation, state clearly and concisely what the supervisor should do and in what order of priority.
Emergency numbers. You may want to include some useful outside telephone numbers — such as the local hospital, ambulance service, police and fire departments. You may also want to list in–house extensions for people who must be notified; for example, the safety manager, human resources department, company doctor or nurse, etc.
First aid. If you don't have a separate policy statement covering first–aid procedures, this would be a good place to include them.
Follow–up. Once the immediate steps have been taken to deal with the emergency, what should the supervisor do? Are there forms that must be completed, people that must be notified, or other follow–up measures that should be taken?
Authorized action. Your policy will need to state who has the authority to make decisions during the particular emergency. For example, if there is a bomb threat, who has the authority to order an evacuation of the building?
Training. Your policy should state how your employees will be trained to handle emergencies. For example, will you require that at all times at least four employees be on duty who are trained in first aid?
Drills. Your policy can state whether, when, and how often you will conduct drills. As an example, if you are in a high–rise building, you may want to have a fire drill several times a year.
Emergency supplies. Your policy should set forth what supplies you need to always have on hand and who is responsible to ensure that the supplies are replenished as needed. These lists will vary depending on the emergencies to which you may be subject. For instance, if you live along the East or Gulf Coast, your supply list will need to include supplies for hurricane season. On the other hand, if your facility is located in California, you will need to have supplies available to deal with an earthquake.
Review of policy. As you cannot always anticipate every emergency, your policy should provide for a review of any emergency to determine if you need to make changes to your procedures or include new ones.
Periodic review of policies. If there are not emergencies that prompt you to review your policies, you should require at least an annual review of all of your emergency policies. In this fashion, you can set aside time to anticipate future emergencies. One good source is your local newspaper, which details emergencies that occurred at other facilities.
Media contact. Your policy should indicate what is to occur if there is any media coverage as a result of the emergency. For suggestions on these types of policies, please refer to that topic elsewhere in this publication.
Continuing service. Your policy should describe how you will seek to continue to serve your customers in the event of an emergency or, if instead, you will simply close down completely.
Legal points
Liability. As you draft your policy you should keep in mind whether you are creating a standard that is too low or too high. In either event, your written emergency procedures could become the first exhibit in any trial against your company for negligence.
State OSH laws. State laws similar to the federal law known as the OSH Act may require you to prepare for emergencies.
OSHA. Often, OSHA requires employers to be prepared for an emergency. For example, companies are to maintain forms called Material Safety Data Sheets, which detail the steps to take in the event a person is exposed to a toxic substance.
State safety laws. A state law may require your company to train employees in first– aid procedures. You may also be required to have fire drills.
Wage and hour laws. If you require employees to spend time in emergency training, you should consider whether you must pay them for such time.
Things to consider
Here are some topics to be discussed at your policy committee meetings:
Your company’s safety record. What types of emergencies have occurred most frequently in the past? These should be treated first or featured prominently in your policy statement. A review of your company’s safety record can also reveal how accidents have been improperly handled in the past, and what you might include in your new policy to avoid similar mishandlings in the future.
Supervisory training opportunities. Some companies require all supervisors to complete a course in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. If similar training and educational opportunities relating to the handling of emergencies are available in your firm, then you can probably confine your actual policy statement to a few essential points and cover the details in these training sessions.
List of emergencies. As you devise your emergency policy, you should anticipate what emergencies will occur in the future that have not occurred in the past. The following is a list of possible emergencies that you may need to address: airline crash, arrest of employee, arrest of customer, bomb threat, bone and joint injury, burns, chemical burns, chemical spill, computer failure, concussions, demonstrations, diabetic coma, earthquake, electrical failure, electrical shock, evacuation, eye injury, fire, flooding, food poisoning, gas leak, government raid, head injury, heart attack, heavy bleeding, hepatitis, hurricane, minor cuts and abrasions, obstructed airway, product recall, removal of records, robbery, seizure, severe winter storm, shock, spine or neck injury, sprains and strains, tornado/sudden storm, unconsciousness, vandalism, violence, violent employee, violent customer, violent intruder.
Checklist. You should consider devising a checklist that will apply to every emergency. Such a checklist can include items such as: What action is needed to protect the safety of individuals? Have all safety steps been taken? What action is needed to reassure customers or employees? What action is needed to reassure families of employees and customers? Do suppliers need to be notified? Do any utilities need to be notified? Have persons on emergency list been notified?
Paying wages for emergency training. If your policy requires that at least four employees who are trained in emergency procedures always be present, then you need to consider how to obtain that training for those individuals. Will you simply require that as a condition of employment? Will you provide training and pay the employee while being trained? Will you ask for volunteers to be trained during off–duty hours?
Communications. You should consider how best to maintain communications during an emergency. Do local employees have authority or will they need to call a home office? Are there emergencies that may interrupt the ability to communicate with the local police, fire, or medical personnel?
Utilities. You will need to review whether there will be emergencies that can occur at your place of business that may result in a loss of power and require a backup system. For example, in the event of a fire in the electrical room, is there an emergency light available so that people can see how to evacuate the building? Many of these issues will be addressed by state or local building and fire codes.
Emergency audits. You should consider whether there are resources for conducting an audit of your emergency planning. For example, the local police or fire departments may conduct an audit of your facility and make suggestions concerning safety. Similarly, there may be a local safety council that will advise you as to the safest places to be in your facility in the event of a tornado.
This article is provided by SafetyNext.com. Visit SafetyNext for plain–English compliance information, work–saving forms and checklists, daily news, and free weekly E–Zine. Copyright 2002, BLR Inc.
