There's No Time For Panic: 4 Tips For Designing A Work-Place Safety Plan

If you have employees that you're responsible for, you want to make sure you provide them with a safe place to work. One way to ensure their safety is to have a structured safety plan in place. You never know when an emergency is going to occur, which means advance planning is key to employee safety. Without a safety plan in place, you and your employees may be left confused and in increased danger during an emergency such as a fire. Here are four things that your safety plan should include.

Method for Reporting Emergency Situations

When creating your safety plan, it's important that you design a method for employees to report an emergency situation. During an emergency people can get confused. The confusion can be escalated when people don't know the correct method to report the incident. Be sure your employees know who to contact for each emergency they might encounter. It should be noted that during an active fire or other immediate danger situations, employees should know to contact 911.

Evacuation Plan for Each Area of the Building

One of the worst things you can do is assume that your employees know the proper way to evacuate the building in an emergency. Help your employees escape safely by creating detailed evacuation plans for each area of the building. Escape routes should be visibly displayed in each room and hallway of the building. As part of your safety plan, you should practice evacuations at least twice a year.

On-Site Safety Equipment Training

Emergency equipment such as fire extinguishers, first aid kits and evacuation equipment is essential to any workplace safety plan. However, if your employees don't know how to utilize the equipment, valuable time may be lost during an emergency. Each of your employees should be trained on the proper use of all fire extinguishers - including what types of extinguishers should be used on each type of fire. They should also receive first aid training, as well as hands-on experience with the evacuation equipment, including fire escapes and ladders.

Designated Duties during Emergencies

Your employees may have specialized training that will come in handy during an emergency. For instance, you may have employees who have valid CPR or first aid certification. Create a safety plan that utilizes that experience. Designate specific responsibilities to employees that have specialized training for emergency services. When an emergency arises, those employees will be prepared to take action.

You never know when an emergency situation is going to arise while you're at work. The information provided here will help you create a safety plan that will help protect you and your employees. If you have any questions about fire extinguishers, visit Tri County Fire Protection.