Author: Alan Lambert, Sales Manager, Crosspoint Communications- A Division of MCA
Preparing for hurricane season and other potential disasters can be daunting and stressful, especially so this year because of the additional precautions needed due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Businesses require special preparation to protect their operations, infrastructure and employees from the potential harmful effects of a hurricane. It is very important for businesses to establish an emergency plan BEFORE the emergency occurs. The emergency plan should include facility protection and the creation of planning guidelines of emergency management covering topics such as; evacuation plans, procedures, shelter, fire safety, and disaster kits.
Here is some advice to help your business safely prepare for severe storms while protecting your employees from COVID-19:
Prepare for Hurricane Season
• Understand that planning may be different this year because of the need to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.
• Review any old emergency plans and update based off any required changes due to COVID-19. If you do not have plans in place, begin with identifying any potential hazards at your worksite and make changes to prevent, mitigate or control them during a hurricane. A comprehensive plan for dealing with emergency events should include specific instructions to building occupants, actions to be taken by facility management, and first responder notification procedures.
• Update worksite evacuation plans or create them if not already in place.
• Train your employees on the proper emergency safety procedures as well as any updates or revisions to your emergency plans or procedures.
• Give yourself more time than usual to plan and order to order supplies since there is already a shortage on certain medicines, food, water and PPE.
• Make sure you have reliable emergency communications. Check your two-way radios to make sure they are working properly, replace the batteries and order any additional radios to ensure you have enough for your facility.
• In case employees are stranded at work prepare kits with personal items you cannot do without in an emergency; water, ready to eat food and first aid supplies. Be sure to include items to protect against COVID-19 such as hand sanitizer, liquids soap and 2 face coverings per person.
• When you check on employees or co-workers be sure to follow social distancing recommendations and other CDC recommendations to protect yourself and others.
Stay Safe After the Hurricane
- Continue to use preventative measures for COVID-19 like washing your hands and wearing a face covering during clean up or when returning to work.
- If you are injured or ill at your job site, contact your medical provider for treatment recommendations. Keep wounds clean to prevent infection. Remember, accessing medical care may be more difficult than usual during the pandemic.
- Do not touch live electrical wires in or near water. Contact a professional for assistance.
- Dealing with disasters can cause stress and strong emotions, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is natural to feel anxiety and worry, be sure to seek help or other resources through your HR office or your primary care provider. It will help you, your family and your business and your community recover.
More than 30,000 customers trust Mobile Communications America (MCA) to provide wireless communication solutions for a safe, secure and more efficient workplace. As your trusted advisor, we reduce the time and effort needed to research, install, and maintain the right solutions to make your workplace better. MCA offers a variety of solutions that can be deployed to help keep your businesses safe during a disaster. Contact an MCA representative today at 1-866-958-7821.