No matter what kind of business you own or how long it’s been operating, a comprehensive emergency response plan is necessary. Emergencies can happen at any time and can take various forms.
If you’re not prepared to face unfortunate events like fires, floods, or robberies, your business can struggle to recover. That’s why you need an emergency response plan. It’s in your business’s best interest to prepare for the unexpected.
Read on to learn how to create an easy and effective emergency response plan.
Here are a few areas to help you get started:
- Employee directory – The next time you go through your business records, take a few minutes to record the phone numbers of all employees. Then, create a telephone tree for contacting workers during emergencies or disasters.
- Data backup – Data backup is another essential part of any emergency response plan. Ensure you know where backups are and how to access them quickly.
- Inventory – Your emergency response plan should also include a complete inventory of your office and other facilities. Need a quick and easy way to complete an inventory? Just walk through the office, camera in hand, and narrate as you go.
- Evacuation routes – Consider ways to protect employees and visitors in your emergency response plan. Evacuation routes should be clearly marked throughout the building. This helps to facilitate easy navigation when disaster strikes. Regular fire and emergency response drills are also a great way to prepare.
- Fire extinguishers – It is critical to have working fire extinguishers throughout the building. Employees should also be properly trained on how to use them. Keep your employees and customers safer by having fire extinguishers checked frequently. These precautions will help tremendously in the case of a real emergency.
Need help getting a safety plan in place?
Browse our Safety Library or contact our safety consultants at (800) 347-3863
