Your emergency action plan should be able to reach customers quickly in case of a disaster. While customers may not understand the effects of the disaster, they still expect your products to be ready when you say they will be. Without a robust emergency action plan, your customers may choose to do business with a competitor instead. You should develop a plan to contact customers and key stakeholders quickly after a disaster occurs. News travels fast and perceptions are often different from the reality. Staying up to date with the information stream is one of the best ways to minimize a negative perception. While insurance can help with partial compensation, it does not bring back lost customers.
Requirements for an emergency action plan
Requirements for an emergency action plan should include details about all the resources that are available to your organization, including emergency contacts. This plan should also address specific threats or hazards that you may face. Regardless of the size of your organization, an emergency action plan should cover all the bases. For example, it should include how you plan to evacuate people from your facility. Additionally, it should identify who should be notified in case of an emergency.
While preparing an emergency action plan is essential for any business, it is even more important for a business to develop a plan prior to a crisis. This plan can help you mitigate damage caused by a natural disaster and can address a number of potential problems, such as the use of hazardous materials on your premises. A plan may also address the risks of operating in an older building with a low safety code, as well as a natural disaster in a certain area.
While it is important for a facility to provide evacuation routes for employees, most facilities create a map based on floor diagrams. These maps should include exits, assembly areas, and equipment located throughout the building. The exit routes must be well-lit and clearly marked. They should also be wide enough to accommodate personnel, and should not expose evacuees to additional hazards. If possible, employees should review the plan regularly for any changes in procedures.
Responsibilities of an emergency action plan manager
When developing a comprehensive emergency action plan, an organization needs to determine what types of emergencies are likely to affect it. Some will be similar, while others will be entirely unique. Organizations should determine which emergencies are most likely to affect them, such as a major storm that disrupts electricity or a chemical spill in a manufacturing plant. A natural disaster such as Hurricane Irma may also impact an organization.
In addition to defining who will be responsible for which functions, EAPs should include a list of personnel in various positions. These people are usually responsible for managing the evacuation process and may have special authority to put emergency procedures into effect. A good emergency action plan will include a list of emergency contacts and the names of these people, along with their job titles and contact information. It’s also essential to include contact information for each individual in the plan so that anyone who needs to contact them can easily do so.
Depending on the type of emergency, a responsible person may be responsible for instructing employees and visitors to evacuate the building. Other responsibilities include declaring a Shelter-in-Place status in the event of an emergency, and instructing employees to stay indoors for the time being. Only authorized rescue personnel are allowed to re-enter the building. An emergency action plan manager’s responsibilities are important to ensure the safety of a business during a major incident.