Emergency responders expect dangers on the job; your workplace doesn’t have to be one of them.
Here are some tips and questions to consider that will help you make your workplace safe for everyone:
- Emergency responders are unfamiliar with your workplace. Consider workplace safety from the point of view of someone who has never been there before.
- The workplace of emergency responders is everywhere: indoors, outdoors and on the road. Your workplace is their workplace … is it safe?
- Darkness creates an unknown environment. Is sensor lighting in effect at your workplace?
- Firefighters work with an amount of oxygen that is limited. Can they navigate through your workplace quickly and efficiently?
- Blocked exits are a death trap for everyone. Make sure exits are clearly marked and accessible.
- Is your workplace as safe after hours as it is during business hours?
- Spills and sharp items left on the ground are a hazard to firefighters who have to crawl on the floor during a fire call and K-9 dogs that have to search buildings.
- During an emergency, it’s important that responders know what is stored where. Are hazardous and flammable materials safely stored and clearly marked?
- Are alleys, roadways and parking areas at your workplace accessible to emergency vehicles?
- Are signs and safety railings in place for all potential hazards?
- Malfunctioning alarms are far more than just a nuisance. They are dangerous for emergency responders who have to treat all alarm calls seriously. False alarms are only false in hindsight.
- Conduct regular hazard assessments. Ask yourself: what could go wrong here?
- Store pallets and other stacked material safely and securely, with heavier items stacked low to the ground.
- During a medical emergency, paramedics need to make it in and out of work sites quickly. Are hallways, stairwells and work areas clear of clutter and accessible for paramedics with loaded stretchers?
- Make the unfamiliar at your workplace familiar to workers, customers, emergency responders, contractors and other services that may attend the work site.
- Clean up broken glass, spills and debris.
- Ensure open holes are covered and work to eliminate trip hazards.
- Get permits for all renovations. Permits help ensure the work will be done properly and safely.
- Ensure access points to construction sites and other work areas are clearly marked.
- Help create a culture where safety for emergency responders is an integral part of every workplace. Workplace safety is not only the responsibility of employers; it is everyone’s responsibility.
