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HR Support on Emergency Planning & Risk Prevention

Editor's Note: Plan for and prevent emergency situations in your workplace.

Melissa BoyceOverview: Part of the workplace safety initiative is to make emergency preparation a priority. Emergency situations can refer to manmade disasters, natural disasters, medical emergencies or human tragedies, such as shootings. There are many emergency plans required by federal or state law, and it is important for an employer to comply with those requirements. However, it is equally important for employers to go beyond what is required by law to protect their workers and safeguard their workplace.

There are a number of emergency situations that could arise in the workplace. An employer should create a main plan adaptable to most situations. Then, a risk analysis can be performed to determine the situations most likely to occur and specific plans can be made for those situations.

Trends: A few years after 9/11, September became National Preparedness Month as a way to remember the tragedy and encourage employers to take steps to safeguard the workplace and better respond to a crisis. Employers can take advantage of the information circulated by FEMA and other organizations during this month to make sure their workplace is sufficiently prepared.

Author: Melissa Gonzalez Boyce, JD, Legal Editor

New and Updated

  • Extreme Weather Events

    Date:
    August 17, 2017
    Type:
    Editor's Choice

    An employer should prepare its employees and workplace for extreme weather events. XpertHR rounds up resources to help an employer for such an event.

  • How to Handle a Bomb Threat

    Type:
    How To

    Enhanced to improve the comprehensiveness, organization and scope of coverage.

  • How to Create an Emergency Action Plan

    Type:
    How To

    Enhanced to improve the comprehensiveness, organization and scope of coverage.

  • Hazard Communication Standard - Supervisor Briefing

    Type:
    Supervisor Training

    Revised to reflect the current Hazard Communication Standard, with which an employer must be fully compliant by June 1, 2016.

  • Emergency Evacuation Handbook Statement: California

    Type:
    Employee Handbooks

    California employers that want to provide an overview of the evacuation procedures set forth in the emergency action plan should consider including this model policy statement in their handbook.

  • Emergency Evacuation Handbook Statement

    Type:
    Employee Handbooks

    Employers who want to provide an overview of the evacuation procedures set forth in a written emergency action plan should consider including this model policy statement in their handbook.

  • Fire Safety/Fire Drills - Supervisor Briefing

    Type:
    Supervisor Training

    This briefing for supervisors examines the law and best practices regarding fire safety in the workplace, including preparing fire prevention plans, identifying and resolving fire hazards and training employees on fire safety.

  • How should an employer handle a bomb threat?

    Type:
    FAQs

  • Fire and Evacuation Drill Policy

    Type:
    Policies and Documents

    An employer may use this policy to assign a framework of response relating to a fire emergency or necessary workplace evacuation, as well as to designate the frequency of drills and other methods to test the procedures. A Fire and Evacuation Drill policy offers the essential information required for life saving actions during an emergency and helps reduce the time needed to depart safely from the building, and should include aspects of fire response, such as location and use of fire extinguishers.

  • Emergency Procedure Policy

    Type:
    Policies and Documents

    An employer may use this policy to assist the company in facilitating and organizing employer and employee actions during workplace emergencies. Emergency procedures are a legal requirement, as well as a business necessity. When well crafted and properly conveyed to employees, emergency procedures help reduce confusion in crisis situations, and improve the workplace response to foreseeable events.

About This Topic

HR guidance on planning for and preventing workplace emergencies.

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