Page 46 - Occupational Health & Safety, May 2018

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
The Best Defense is a Good Offense: Preparing for Natural Disasters
Not all natural disasters occur during full staff hours. Many take place when staff or logistical support is limited. Keep this in mind while creating the plan.
BY CAROL HILL
From tornadoes to hurricanes, natural disas- ters are powerful forces that tear through cities and leave a trail of devastation across communities. According to the National
Centers for Environmental Information, 16 natural disasters caused $306 billion worth of damage in the United States during 2017 alone.
Though businesses are unable to predict when a natural disaster will strike, they can protect their as- sets and employees with the proper planning, train- ing, and communication tactics. Preparing for the worst helps build resilience and enables businesses to recover faster.
Disaster Response Plan Development
Organizations need to develop an effective disaster response plan to minimize damage before, during, and after an event. Every business is different and will need to examine its facilities and consider its employ- ees when creating a structure that fits its own unique circumstances. There are no cookie-cutter templates to the perfect disaster response plan; however, there are common elements that all plans should include.
A disaster response plan guides organizations through disruptive events and helps resume opera- tions post-incident. It is critical to conduct a thor- ough risk assessment of all potential dangers before a business can develop a robust plan addressing how to mitigate, prepare, respond, and recover from specific hazards and risks.
Planning also should address options of evacu- ation or shelter in place while detailing the special needs of either situation. For example, evacuation plans need to specify emergency exits, safety sys- tems, meeting areas, and communication plans. If the decision is to instead shelter in place, additional needs may include equipping the facility, ensuring a backup power supply is available, storing enough food and water to last three to 10 days, stocking medical supplies, and preparing a communication plan with emergency contacts.
Not all natural disasters occur during full staff hours. Many disasters take place when staff or logis- tical support is limited. This should be kept in mind while creating the plan to ensure it is easily accessible and understood by all levels of staff.
A disaster plan is a living document that is easy to follow, frequently reviewed, and regularly updated. Creating a flexible plan allows for any employee to fol- low it and keeps staff safe, ultimately improving the resilience of everyone within the organization.
42 Occupational Health & Safety | MAY 2018
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Train and Drill: Staff Responsibilities
Larger businesses may assign a team of employees to develop the disaster response plan. Creating a disas- ter response team comprised of multiple departments helps ensure the entire business is invested during an event. Ahead of an emergency, all personnel need to know what their roles are and where their presence is required. A disaster response plan must detail the roles of each employee and specify who is in charge of making decisions. Update employee orientation programs to include emergency training, as this will help keep all employees on the same page and prepare them to remain calm during an emergency.
General training for all employees should address: ■ Protective action against threats and hazards
■ How to notify the public and communicate
with family members
■ Means for locating family members
■ Emergency response procedures
■ Evacuation and shelter procedures
■ Location and use of emergency equipment
■ Emergency shutdown procedures
Conduct a mock disaster drill to test the disaster
plan. Because it has the greatest likelihood to occur, most facilities plan and practice for a fire. However, not all businesses implement a disaster drill. Planning and practicing for natural disasters other than fire helps to raise awareness and prepares employees for a variety of outcomes. Running through the plan with a mock disaster drill also provides insight into any needed plan updates and improvements. As a result, the resiliency of the whole organization will be improved.
Crisis Communication
Communication during a crisis is critical to inform- ing the public as well as loved ones about the ongoing situation. The public is used to having breaking news at their fingertips with smartphones, computers, and TVs constantly updating current events. During the first 24 hours after a natural disaster, response teams are often so focused on maintaining the situation that they fail to effectively communicate with the public, which can be received negatively and lead to potential reputation damage and safety concerns.
Initial communication needs to revolve around accounting for everyone regarding status, location, and notifying family. Secondary communication will focus on the impact of the disaster on the organization and the community. Social media greatly accelerate the speed of communication by instantly identifying urgent needs, providing accurate (although some-