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Have an all hazard approach. Earthquakes can trigger related hazards (fire, water damage). As such a good earthquake plan can also assist in dealing with other more “regular” emergencies such as fires, floods, and power.
- Does your company have a emergency plan that includes earthquakes?
- Does your company have an emergency preparedness program that acknowledges its employees as its most important asset and that their safety and well-being is a major concern?
- Does your company have a person or department responsible for developing and updating its emergency plan?
- Does your company ahve an emergency plan that is integrated with other tenants in teh building? Does the plan integrate with fire safety and evacuation plans?
- Has your company met with your local emergency preparedness coordinator to ensure emergency procedures and plans are integrated with your local government’s emergency planning measures?
- Does your company have designated personnel for each building and floor?
- Does your company have clear and up-to-date notification procedures and a call-out list?
- Does the emergency plan deal with the hazards of flying glass, collapse of a building or its components such as cielings, light fixtures, overturned furniture and equipment, as well as fires caused by damage to utility lines and/or pipes?
- Has your company designated an alternate site of operations?
- Does your company have a required inspection schedule to reduce potential hazards?
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According to a recent report from the Institute for Castrophic Loss Reduction, there is a 30 percent chance that an earthquake strong enough to cause significant damage will rock southwestern BC within the next 50 years. This report urges Canada and Canadians to accelerate the pace of seismic building and infrastructure upgrades.
More work must be done to earthquake proof fire halls, schools, and buildings and to ensure that individuals have adequate and relaible water and food supplies.
Blog
Stress creates havoc with our health and it is worth our while to examine our stress levels every two or three months. Stress can be difficult to understand. Sometimes we don’t even know we are under stress even when it affects our heart and mental health. The habits and signs that can alert us to problems may be hard to recognize because they have become so familiar.
The Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Mental Health Association have produced a booklet Coping with Stress. To get a copy of the booklet contact the Heart and Stroke Foundation at 604-279-7130
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All employees that deal with first aid situations are at risk. Whether you are in security, the first aid attendant or a care aide.
Remember to:
- wash hands after direct contact with patients
- use protective barriers such as gloves, gowns, aprons, masks, and goggles for direct contact with blood and other bodily fluids
- safely collect and dispose of needles and sharps, with required puncture and liquid proof boxes
- cover all cuts and abrasions with waterproof dressings
- promptly and carefully clean up spills of blood and other bodily fluids
- use a safe system for health care waste management and disposal
Blog
An essential ingredient is preparedness.
Earthquake preparedness includes identifying and eliminating as many hazards where the impact of a major earthquake could:
- kill or injure people
- destroy or damage property
- ruin or impair business operations
The overall objective of emergency planning is to create a system that will ensure an effective and efficient response to emergency situations.
- Overall management and coordination of emergency operations
- Establishment of a “chain of command” and delegation of authority
- Coordination of requests for assistance and allocation of company resources
- Establishment of priorities
- Coordination of regional and community based support
- Coordination, direction and distribution of emergency public and employee information
- Collection, evaluation and distribution of damage assessments
- Coordination and maintenance of communication with appropriate governmental agencies and news media
In your emergency planning, remember that, following a major disaster such as an earthquake, you may need to be self-reliant for 72 hours or longer. Government and emergency services such as fire, police and ambulance resources will be fully committed and immediate assistance wll not be available in the aftermath of a disaster.
Roads, bridges, transit systems and other essential lifelines could be severely disrupted. Senior staff may be unavailable, injured, at home or in transit. Continuity of management means planning for disruption of normal lines of authority.
