Emergency Action
Do you know what to do if someone has a medical emergency in your workplace?
Do your team members know what to do?
Too often, unexpected events cause people to “freeze up” and hesitate. But people who know what to do in an emergency can respond appropriately.
Ask HR if there are any official materials (employee handbook, etc.) that cover what to do in emergency situations. If there are, check them out and make sure that they are up-to-date, then share them with your team members.
If there are no official emergency-response materials for your office, create some! You can delegate this to a competent team member, then review their materials.
Consider what people should do in the event of a fire, or an earthquake, or a medical emergency, or an armed intruder, or a burst pipe, or a gas leak, etc.—any hazards you might experience in your geographical area.
The first step is usually getting everyone to safety—what do people need to do to be safe? In a fire, for example, evacuating the building and staying out of elevators are good immediate actions. Do people know where the fire exits are? Do people with mobility issues (e.g., someone who uses a wheelchair) have a way to get out safely? For larger offices, is there a sign-in or ID-scan system to know who is in the building, so you’ll know if everyone has gotten out safely?
Do you have the right equipment on-hand for emergencies? Is there a first-aid kit? How about a fire extinguisher? If there is a defibrillator, do people know where it is and how to use it? Consider covering the cost of training for some volunteers from your team to take first-aid and CPR courses.
The next step is calling emergency responders. If someone has a medical emergency, point to ONE person and tell them to call 911 (if you just yell, “Someone call 911!” to a group of people, then many people assume “someone else will do it” and don’t take action). If evacuating due to a fire, don’t stay inside to call 911—call when outside or at least while you are on the move. Make sure that people know to stay on the line with the emergency operator until they say it is okay to hang up.
The later steps are far less important than keeping people safe—taking care of property. Evacuated offices or buildings might need to be locked up to prevent theft. Computers might need to be carried out of rooms where water is pouring in. People might have left purses, house/car keys, or other important personal property. You might develop a “secure building” checklist for this, but make sure that your people know to only take actions when it is safe for them to do them.
(image generated using Midjourney)