Prepare a workplace emergency plan for your business
Disaster can strike at any time, including during business hours. Workplaces that are not prepared for an emergency situation, along with subsequent financial and personal losses, may not be able to continue trading. Preparing an emergency plan will help keep people as safe as possible. Follow the simple steps below to put together a workplace emergency plan.
List the following information:
- How to evacuate your workplace and where staff should assemble
- How to shut off services like gas and electricity
- A list of trained first aiders
- Emergency contact details for all staff
- A list of emergency supplies
- Remember to get input from your staff
Get your staff ready
Now you have a workplace emergency plan the next step is to ensure your staff are familiar with it. Encourage your staff to keep a supply of essential items they may need at work. Staff may also like to develop a personal workplace emergency plan.
Essential items
- Water
- Waterproof clothing and sturdy walking shoes
- Torch
- Snack food
- Cellphone
Get your business through
Business continuity preparation is vital if your organisation is to survive a disaster or emergency situation. A continuity plan will help your business to adjust to altered circumstances and minimise risk to operations.
- Risk identification
Identify possible risks and how they would impact on your business - Create disaster contingency plans
Develop a comprehensive contingency plan for your whole business, including staff, information, assets, customers, suppliers and distribution channels - Be responsive
Focus on training that will prepare leaders to adapt quickly to changes resulting from a disaster. Develop a plan to ensure staff are equipped with the skills needed to stay healthy and engaged - Build relationships
A strong network will be crucial in a disaster situation. Look at building relationships with central and local government, other businesses, plus non-governmental and community organisations (NGOs)
Go a step further
Be proactive
Think about ways your business could help other organisations and the community to get prepared.
Below are some useful links for helping to get your business prepared:
- Red Cross Hazard App
Encourage your staff to download this app. This is a vital tool to help get you through emergencies and receive disaster alerts. - Get Ready Get Thru
The Get Ready Get Thru site has a section on getting your business ready. - NZ Transport Agency
If an emergency were to hit, NZ Transport Agency will show what roads/highways are open or which are affected. - MetService
Keep up to date with any weather warnings which may be issued around the Nelson-Tasman region. - GeoNet
Think you have felt a shake at work? Check out the GeoNet website to see the location and magnitude. - Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management
While the Ministry is not engaged in risk management or business continuity consultancy, there are key messages that all businesses should understand prior to initiating or reviewing continuity planning. - Resilience guides for small businesses
Getting your business ready to ‘get thru’ is partly about doing some planning and partly about ensuring you develop practices to become more resilient. These guides are practical guides to help you build your organisation's resilience step by step - Citizens Advice Bureau - Preparing your workplace for emergencies
Preparing your workplace for emergencies - Business.govt.nz - Emergency and continuity planning
Putting time into planning for emergencies makes good business sense because it helps to keep people safe and minimises downtimes. It’s also a legal responsibility.