June is National Safety Month! Every week, Neumann Safety Manager James Machamer will share industry insights to promote National Safety Month and help foster a safer work environment. This week’s topic is Emergency Preparedness and Job Site Management.
No industry of business is immune to accidents. However, the construction industry tends to be one of the most affected due to its inherent nature of temporary structures, hazardous materials, and heavy equipment on job sites. A well-trained team responds to emergencies quickly, keeping everyone safe and healthy. Neumann understands the importance of being prepared for these events.
Emergency Action Plan
In the event of a crisis, an emergency action plan outlines the procedures employees should follow. Well-developed plans and employee training may result in fewer and less severe injuries and facility damage. When building your emergency action plan, remember to include the following:
- Procedures for reporting emergencies
- Description of alarm system used to notify employees
- Evacuation policy and escape route assignments
- Procedures for employees who remain on-site after alarm sounds
- Methods to account for employees after evacuation
- Names and responsibilities of employees assigned to rescue and medical tasks
- Description of how employees will be informed and trained
- Identification of employees to contact for additional information
- List of key personnel to contact during off-hour emergencies
5 Steps to Emergency Management
- Prevention: The action of stopping something from happening or arising. Examples of prevention strategies include regular safety meetings, maintaining equipment, implementing safety gear, and worksite inspections.
- Mitigation: Actions that eliminate or reduce the impacts and risks of hazards through proactive measures taken before an emergency occurs. Examples of mitigation measures include establishing building codes and zoning requirements, installing shutters, and constructing barriers such as levees.
- Preparedness: The state of being ready for something to happen, especially emergencies. Preparedness strategies may include developing mutual aid agreements and memorandums of understanding, training both response personnel and concerned citizens, conducting disaster exercises to reinforce training and test capabilities, and presenting all-hazards education campaigns.
- Response: The actions carried out immediately after a hazard impact occurs to save lives, reduce economic losses, and alleviate suffering. Response actions may include activating the emergency operations center, evacuating threatened populations, opening shelters for mass care, emergency rescue and medical care, firefighting, and urban search and rescue.
- Recovery: The process of regaining or returning to a normal or usual state. Typical recovery actions include debris cleanup, financial assistance to individuals, rebuilding roads, bridges, and critical facilities, and sustained mass care for displaced human and animal populations.
Neumann Brothers is committed to implementing comprehensive risk management strategies to protect our employees and the public. The Neumann team created fire evacuation and inclement weather plans, invested in auditing and inspection platforms for increased eye safety, developed job site-specific safety procedures, and adopted a Stop Work Authority Program to empower employees. Together, we’ll continue to build a safer construction industry.