First of two parts
One of my favorite movies is My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
There is a scene in the movie where the father says to the family, “Give me a word, any word, and I show you how the root of that word is Greek.”
Well, give me any state in the U.S. and I will show you what natural disaster could strike. If you live on the East Coast, you have hurricanes; on the West Coast you have earthquakes; and in the middle, you have tornados.
So, there you have it.
In this two part series, we will look at the importance of developing an emergency plan and the basic steps to take in either a natural or human-created emergency.
The purpose of an emergency plan is to organize actions during a crisis. A well-developed workplace emergency plan and proper employee training may result in fewer employee and customer injuries, and also, less structural damage to the business. A poorly designed plan, or worse, no plan at all, could lead to disorganization and confusion during the emergency and lead to injuries and higher losses.
Your plan should be constructed with the thought of every employee and customer’s safety in the forefront. How to reduce losses to your business should be your secondary objective.
The following three sections should be included in your emergency plan
It is the responsibility of the owner and management team to evaluate an emergency situation, ensure that appropriate action is taken, determine whether outside support is needed, and summon that support, if necessary.
Every store should have “emergency supplies” ready in case of an emergency. These supplies should be stored in the manager’s office, or, in a safe and easily accessible location in the back area of the store.
The following items should be available in the store:
Management should ensure that they have valid phone numbers for all employees. Also, your mobile phone number and home number should be posted in case your employees need to contact you in the event of an emergency.
The following are procedures for various naturally-occurring or weather-related emergencies:
Evacuation Procedures
The following are specific types of naturally-occurring or weather-related emergencies for which you and your employees should be prepared:
Floods, including flash flooding from area creeks, lakes and rivers may occur with or without warning. The store should monitor weather updates during a storm. They should also prepare a plan as to how merchandise would be moved to minimize its exposure to water. All electrical devices, such as TVs, DVRs, computers, cash registers, etc., should be unplugged and moved to an area that would not be affected by the water. The manager on duty should monitor the water level in the area as well as any low-water crossings surrounding the store. The manager should consult the owner as to when the store should be evacuated, again taking into account any low-water crossing or other travel issues. Nobody should be driving during flash flooding conditions.
Tornado conditions generally occur with little warning. The stores should have a small interior room designated in which to gather in the event of a tornado. This room should be as free as possible of items that could become projectiles during the storm. If no such room is present, a spot as far away from glass as possible should be utilized. When a tornado alert occurs, the manager should lock the front door and instruct all employees and customers to go to the interior until the tornado warning is over.
Hurricanes and tropical storms generally provide some warning. The store should use the plan developed for floods to minimize the merchandises’ exposure to water and make sure that all electrical devices are unplugged. Prior to the storm, employees will be instructed whether to board up or tape the store’s glass front. If the store is to close early, the manager should try and make a bank deposit of excessive funds if possible and check their alarm back up system before leaving.
Winter storms and blizzards may or may not provide a warning. The store should have sufficient tools to clear a path from the store. Additionally, the store should have a supply of salt or anti-icing chemical to clear ice buildup on the walkways. When blizzard conditions occur, or the snow accumulation reaches crisis levels, all electrical merchandise should be unplugged. Any area of the store that is prone to leaks should have merchandise removed from that area. The manager on duty should monitor the snow levels and consult with the owner as to when the store should be evacuated. This decision should focus on the employees’ welfare as opposed to merchandise. Road conditions should also be considered so that you do not evacuate the store and put your employees on unsafe roadways.
Important: If the store is to be closed due to any emergency situation, the safe should be filled with as much company assets as possible i.e., cash, cannabis, small general merchandise before leaving. Use your safe as your “lifeboat” during an emergency. Safes are designed to withstand long periods of attacks from thieves and most will not be able to get into a safe no matter how long they attack it.
So why is it so important to have a well-developed emergency action plan? According to studies conducted by the Gartner Group in recent years, 60 percent of businesses are under prepared for disasters and emergencies and 40 percent of companies that experience a disaster go out of business within five years.
Without a well-defined emergency plan your company will likely struggle or fail to remain in business after an emergency.
In my next article, I will review emergency procedures for human-created emergencies.
Be safe and be profitable.
Tony Gallo is the Managing Partner for Sapphire Risk Advisory Group www.sapphirerisk.com with over 30 years in the Loss Prevention, Audit, Safety, and Risk/Emergency Management fields. He is a published author on cannabis security and has spoken at numerous cannabis business conferences across the country. Tony is considered one of the leading authorities on cannabis security programs.
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