Are You Ready?

Most employees are only concerned with going to work and going home. The damaging impact of external forces such as extreme wind, heavy rain or falling trees on the business may not register until their daily routine is interrupted. Diligent FMs will have a written disaster response in place, but making sure a solid emergency strategy has been communicated to all employees is imperative.

A natural disaster is a major adverse event resulting from natural processes of the Earth. Natural disasters, such as floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, storms and other geologic processes can cause loss of life or damage property, and typically leaves some economic damage in its wake, the severity of which depends on preparations taken.

Hurricanes

Hurricanes do not just suddenly appear. Fortunately, there is technology and information available that can provide alerts or warnings. The four key elements of a hurricane are high-speed winds, storm surges, torrential rains and tornados, all of which can result in devastating damages to a facility.

With the ability to know the exact time and day a hurricane is expected to hit, there are no excuses for not properly securing a building or preparing employees. Once a hurricane alert is broadcast, it is crucial that cautionary measures are taken immediately and relayed to everyone.

Back up all electronics and disconnect all wires. Employees should clear their desks, bring work home or store it in a safe place. Furniture and equipment should be moved away from windows into the innermost rooms of the commercial building. All valuables and displays located outside the building should be moved inside to secure locations. Utilities should be turned off prior to the hurricane making landfall if possible and employees should be notified.

It is also important to protect important documents and information. Hard-copy insurance documents, legal contracts, tax returns and accounting statements must be safeguarded to avoid water damage. Files should be backed up on the cloud or on a company server. A list of important contacts that are critical to business operations, such as employees, banks, lawyers, accountants and suppliers, should be saved in an alternate, accessible off-site location and/or digitally.

Floods

Flooding causes power outages, disrupts transportation, damages buildings, creates landslides, causes overflow of dams or other water systems, and could lead to serious injury or death. Flooding results from rain, snow melt, coastal storms, storm surges and can develop slowly or quickly. Flash floods can come with little or no warning.

Most facilities are connected to their community’s warning system. Employees should know and practice evacuation routes, shelter plans and flash flood response. They should be familiar with designated safe locations to gather and be ready to evacuate on a moment’s notice. If employees are trapped in a building, they should know to go to its highest level, but only go to the roof if absolutely necessary. They must also know the risk of electrocution. Electricity and water do not mix. Be aware that snakes and other animals may end up inside the facility.

If employees are away from the facility, they should understand the dangers outside and avoid driving except for emergencies. If they do drive, they should never go around barricades: they are there for a reason. Nor should they walk, swim or drive through flood waters. Water flowing at 25 mph has the pressure equivalent of wind blowing at 790 mph, faster than the speed of sound. People should also stay off of bridges over fast-moving water.

Tornado

A tornado is a violently rotating column of air extending from the base of a thunderstorm down to the ground. Tornado intensities are classified on the Fujita scale with F0 being the weakest and F5 being the strongest. Tornados have been reported in every geographic location.

In the case of an imminent tornado threat, whether it has been visually sighted, indicated on radar or a warning issued, shelter must be sought immediately. Tornados are capable of destroying any man-made structure, uprooting trees and hurling debris with lethal force. All employees must be prepared for this eventuality. They should be able to recognize any alarm or warning systems.

Planning for tornados requires identifying places to take shelter, familiarizing employees with community or facility warning systems, and establishing procedures to account for individuals in the building. An underground area, such as a basement or storm cellar, provides the best protection from a tornado. If an underground shelter is unavailable, employees should seek a small interior room or hallway on the lowest floor possible. Rooms constructed with reinforced concrete, brick or block with no windows and a heavy concrete floor or roof system are ideal.

Employees should be warned to stay in the center of any room, keeping away from doors, windows and exterior walls. They should also stay away from the corners of the room. It might seem to be one of the safer places, but flying debris likes corners, and that is where most trash accumulates.

If anyone is caught outdoors during a tornado, they should seek shelter in a basement or a sturdy building. If nothing is available within safe walking distance, they should try to drive to the nearest shelter. If flying debris is encountered while in their vehicle, stay inside with the seat belt on, keeping their head below the windows and covering up as best they can. If there is an area that is noticeably lower that the road, they can lie down there, again covering up.

Earthquake

Earthquakes occur without any warning and may be so violent that it could knock a person off their feet. In case of an earthquake, the best action one can take is to drop, cover and hold on. Taking these actions can save lives and reduce the risk of injury.

Do not underestimate the importance of dropping immediately to hands and knees. This may not seem dignified, but dignity takes a back seat to safety. It is better to drop as soon as possible rather than falling and risk injury. Being on all fours protects a person from being knocked down and allows them to stay low and crawl to shelter. If a sturdy table or desk is nearby, crawl underneath it for shelter. If all is available is a chair, crawl under it to protect the head and neck. The greatest danger is from falling and flying objects, such as ceiling tiles, light fixtures or loose items on desktops or shelves.

If no shelter is nearby, crawl next to an interior wall, away from the windows. To protect vital organs, cover the head and neck with one arm and hand, or stay on the knees and bend over to protect vital organs. Hold on until the shaking stops.

If under a shelter, hold on to it with one hand and be ready to move with the shelter if it shifts. When out in the open, hold on to the head and neck with both arms and hands.

Although building collapse is not a great danger, windows and exterior walls are unsafe. Do not try to walk or run outside or to other rooms during the earthquake. This creates more risks.

Do not stand in a doorway, nor trust the Triangle of Life theory. Get to a safe place and stay there until the all-clear is given.

Fire

When it comes to fire emergencies, everyone should know the drill. However, repetition and practice are extremely important when it comes to evacuation procedures. All staff should

be aware of the dangers and precautions that are endemic to a fire in the workplace. Through safety meetings and departmental representation, the process of what to do in case of a fire should be periodically outlined. Maps identifying safe routes out of the building should be posted in visible areas, and they need to be aware of the assembly areas.

The estimated time of evacuation should be between 90 seconds to 2 minutes. There is no time to grab personal items. Everything can be replaced except for human life. Evacuation should be at a fast pace, with no running.

Ideally there will be safety representatives to take control and manage the evacuation.

They need to know who in their department may have special needs and will require assistance exiting the building and be willing to help or ensure help is available in these instances.

All in all

Note the differences in reactions to fires versus other natural disasters. In case of a fire, the first action is to evacuate the building. Every other occurrence dictates staying in place until it is safe to leave. Also, first responders will be dispatched fairly quickly in case of a fire. Other disasters will have a much broader impact and assistance may not be immediate.

As in any emergency situation, specific duties should have been assigned in advance and checklists created for each specific role or responsibility. Alternate personnel should be designated and trained in case the assigned person is absent or incapacitated. Those employees who have been trained in first aid and/or CPR/AED, should be willing and available to assist personnel in need until emergency responders arrive.

Part of the communication plan for employees is defining disaster survival common denominators. No matter what happens to a facility, there are a few practices that must be implemented. Facility maps, exit routes and assembly points need to be posted and available to all employees. There should be an established procedure to perform an accurate headcount. Employees must understand the need for people to know where they are. Whether they are out to lunch or in another department, their location, given any emergency, should be known by someone. In the same vein, visitors and customers must be accounted for in case of an emergency. Every employee should understand that they are responsible for their guests and need to assist them if a situation arises. There must be strong leaders identified and ready to take control and guide employees calmly and efficiently to safety.

Preparedness involves a continuous process of planning, equipping and exercising. Many things that seem logical to FMs may not resonate with employees. Sometimes, they need to be told. Ignorance of proper safety procedures and not responding correctly could be a disaster in itself.