There is not a day that goes by in business or our daily lives that you don't hear or read about some manmade or natural disaster that has struck and caused death, damage, destruction, and devastation or let's call them the 4 D's. The main reason for this is that we are primarily in a state of denial, since these tragedies occur someplace else in another country, state, city or town. That's right! Unless the tragedy has impacted us personally at our place of work or at home, our state of denial has placed us in a false sense of safety and security. Thus, as these events or incidents unfold over time, our exposure increases our chance of being impacted without preparedness and readiness planning.

 

Today it is more common to see people mowing the grass or doing other chores utilizing PPE, personal protective equipment and anticipating some of the exposures and risks to protect themselves from various hazards. However, sometimes with some, due to self created denial and our high and mighty egos, along with success or well being, we go about our daily lives expecting and believing everything around us is safe, secure, and normal.

 

Working as a professional safety executive, lead safety officer, advisor, during the Katrina Disaster and other project I have seen first hand the vast amount of states, cities, towns, business, organizations, and families that were impacted. Emergency preparedness has been brought into the forefront of business, communities, and our lives. Although Katrina was a natural disaster there were several causes that we all know made it worse. Those causes were rooted in poor design, engineering, misguided management, poor emergency planning, and poor project justification in selling various project to M B O and Congress in the past, and an appreciation for what is really important.

 

Most businesses have an evacuation plan which is necessary to get employees out of the building safely in an  emergency. Is that all you have in your business? If so, you could be liable more now than ever. OSHA in at least three of their compliance standards, discusses preparedness. Many companies prescribe to codes or standards such as ISO 9000, ISO 14000, ISO 18001, that foster encouragement within management to have systems in place to reduce their loss potential. But is it just paper? Or is what you have within your preparedness plan the real deal? Will the preparedness plan work when it is needed? As with all plans they need what if and scenarios developed, which need to be evaluated, audited, and revised as conditions and your business change.

 

Many of us remember the Bhopal India chemical release disaster, Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the release of a hazardous chemical in a Swiss Industry that flowed into the Rhine River which threatened millions of people, and the devastating effect with the flora and fauna in two European countries. These man made disasters coupled with past an present industrial fires, explosions, and mining accidents, aside from causing death and destruction, have caused some of the most stringent regulations in the US and around the world.

 

The best practice, is being prepared. Emergency preparedness is another loss control program management fundamental and is a state of mind that must go along with our risk evaluations within the structure we use off the job, for business survival, and community well being. Without this thought process, sooner or later either you, someone in your family, business, or community will be impacted.

Global Loss Control® can assist your business with preparedness, plan development, program auditing, and scenarios that will prepare your business for the internal and external risks.                            

 

 Last Updated  July 2010 D J B

 

©Copyright 1989 - 2010 Global Loss Control, Inc.

 DJB Jr.,  F.A.C.F.E. and A.S.A. LICENSE 85 - ACCREDITED SAFETY AUDITOR