Make Your Workplace Safety Drill Effective in 3 Steps | SERVPRO® of Kingston/New Paltz

9/23/2019 (Permalink)

Practice, revise and repeat your workplace safety drill.You can't ever be too prepared for the unexpected!

If you’re a business owner in New Paltz, Saugerties, Highland or Kingston, you understand how important it is to keep your workplace free of hazards and your employees safe from harm. However, have you considered what would happen should an emergency occur in the workplace? There are 3 significant actions you should take to make a workplace safety drill understandable and effective.

Because of how negatively a disaster can impact a small business, it is important to create a plan for what to do should an emergency occur. Creating a plan that accounts for multiple possibilities, gathering feedback and then using that feedback to improve are all important components to coming up with a fool-proof plan. 

Here’s how business owners can work toward creating a workplace safety drill that works: 

1. Plan Your Drill 

In order to create a effective and properly executed drill, it is important to plan it thoroughly and in advance to ensure it is as effective as possible. Be sure to plan for every scenario that could put your staff in harms’ way, such as fires, storm damage, power outages or any other emergency including those that are specific to your industry. Prepare for specific checks such as: 

• Designate a meeting point for all employees outside of and away from the building. Be clear of the location to all departments and staff. 
• Choose someone to perform a headcount and ensure that everyone in the building takes part.
• Train some employees how to perform any emergency shutdown procedures such as turning off electric, machinery, gas or water lines before exiting the building.

It’s also important to schedule drills at various times if you have personnel who work a variety of hours or shifts so everyone can experience them. Emergencies don’t always happen from 9-5.

2. Determine Where to Improve 

After conducting a few safety drills, the most important thing to do is take note of where improvements could be made. Make sure to get feedback from employees on their suggestions or recommendations. Even things that seem small can make a large difference in an emergency scenario, such as choosing a different exit route, more lighting or better signage.

3. Make Changes and Repeat 

As important as it is to practice the drill, it’s equally as important to put any changes into effect immediately too. Notify all involved and as you continue to make improvements and run drills, it is important to note how more recent drills compare with earlier ones. Tracking the improvements and results of each round is a great way to ensure that drills are as efficient as they can be, that way everyone will stay safe should a real emergency occur. 

It’s highly recommended that you document and keep these practices in a safe and easily obtainable location. In an emergency, it’s hard to remember exactly what you’ve been told, having it on paper and handy to all makes for a less-stressful situation for all involved.

SERVPRO of Kingston/New Paltz has experts in damage restoration and can help you plan for emergencies with our FREE Emergency Ready Profile! It’s simple, effective and highly useful tool for all business owners. Give us a call today to learn more.