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Emergencies and natural disasters can happen anytime. Although you can’t predict when they will happen, you can take actions to make your business more prepared.

Do you and your workers know what to do if a disaster strikes?
An emergency plan is a health and safety requirement necessary for keeping everyone safe, and not having one is a big risk for your business and your workers. 

Your emergency plan should include the following:

• Emergency procedures for fire, flood, and other hazards.
• Designated assembly points, wardens, and first aiders.
• Contact information for staff, suppliers, and clients.
• Alternative arrangements if you are unable to access your premises 

What to consider when making an emergency plan:

When working out your emergency plan, you must take into account:

• The size and location of your workplace
• The number of workers
• The nature of the work being carried out and the workplace hazards
• The types of emergency situations your workplace may face

Maintaining and testing emergency plans:

A well-maintained emergency plan should be reviewed and updated when:

• There are changes to work activities or the physical workplace
• Workers with emergency responsibilities change
• New risks are identified.

Testing your emergency plan is important to ensure it works:

• Testing can be as simple as thinking of a scenario (e.g. a fire) and staging a mock emergency, such as a fire drill to test how well the plan works.
• Following any testing, a review should be conducted to identify areas for improvement or updating. This should include seeking and considering feedback from your workers

Worker Engagement
Involve workers in emergency planning and decisions. All workers should know who is responsible for activating and coordinating emergency procedures and what they must do to keep themselves and others safe in an emergency.

First Aid Kits and Fire Extinguishers 

Having first aid kits and fire extinguishers readily available ensures that workers can quickly address emergencies, potentially saving lives and preventing extensive property damage.

Keeping you and your workmates safe at work is a top priority, so it’s important to understand what your business needs for an effective emergency plan. Make sure you’re aware of these requirements to help keep everyone safe!

Use the handy templates available in the Hub to help you document your plan and drills so you can be prepared for any emergency situation. Find these below:

If you would like more information, get in touch with our friendly HazardCo team – we’re always happy to help!