OSEA Safety Blog

Workplace Safety and Natural Disasters

With hurricane season upon us, we are reminded of the importance of planning for and maintaining workplace safety during a natural disaster.

The key, and crucial piece, planning. During this stage a business must identify any potential natural disaster they may face – are you in an area prone to tornadoes; along a coastline that may face hurricanes; in an area prone to earthquakes; or an area that may face blizzards; etc. Once potential natural disasters are identified, it’s time to move into development of the Disaster or Emergency Response plan that outlines the steps a business and its employees must take when faced with a natural disaster during working hours as well as during non-working hours.

Once the plan is developed, it must be communicated to your employees to ensure that everyone is aware of the actions that must be taken should a natural disaster strike – this is best done through formal training. Once communicated, it’s time to practice the response plan! This will allow you to identify any weaknesses and make necessary changes/adjustments to the plan before a disaster strikes.

It's always a good idea to include business continuity and recovery either in the plan or as a separate plan (depending on company size and needs). Once a disaster strikes, you’ll need a plan and the tools to recover as quickly as possible.

As an employer, you have the obligation to keep your employees safe and that holds true during a natural disaster. Studies show that a well-developed plan that is properly communicated and practiced, effectively reduces incidents and accidents. If you are feeling like maybe your plan isn’t up to par, don’t hesitate to reach out to our experts – either through our revolutionary safety app Safety Badger or call us at (800)867-6732.