Train Workers on What to Do in Weather Emergencies

Weather emergencies and other natural disasters can strike any workplace, often with little warning. If you and your employees are not adequately prepared for these events, the potential for a catastrophe is heightened. On the other hand, when you’ve anticipated emergency needs and prepared your employees to deal effectively with the most difficult situations, the chances are excellent that you can prevent injuries and minimize property damage.
Furthermore, OSHA requires employers with 10 or more employees to have a written emergency plan to deal with emergency situations that affect the workplace, such as weather emergencies and other natural disasters. The emergency plan standard (29 CFR 1910.38) also requires you to train employees to understand your emergency plans and to follow required procedures. Your emergency plan should anticipate any weather emergencies and other natural disasters that could occur in your area.

Note that some of the weather emergencies or natural disasters discussed in the following material might not apply to your area of the country. You can delete any information that does not apply to your employees and your workplace—or you might decide to leave it in and discuss it briefly. Today, so many people travel all over the country on vacations and for holiday visits that they might well find themselves in a situation where they have to deal with a weather emergency or natural disaster that they wouldn’t face at home.

Training Requirements:

Your weather emergencies training program should contain these elements:

Hazards of weather emergencies and other natural disasters

Highlights of your organization’s emergency plan

Workplace evacuation procedures

Family emergency plans and disaster supply kits

Preparation for different types of weather emergencies and other natural disasters that may occur in your area

Safety precautions to be taken during weather emergencies and natural disasters

When the training is complete, your employees should be able to:

Recognize the hazards of weather emergencies and other natural disasters.
Follow workplace emergency procedures.
Develop a family emergency plan.
Increase the chances of surviving emergencies and minimizing property damage.

Use this weather emergency preparation checklist as a handout for workers to take away at the end of the training session:

Be prepared for weather emergencies
Listen to weather reports on radio or TV.
—Watch means severe weather is possible.
—Warning means severe weather is almost here.

Follow advice for protecting yourself and your property.
Evacuate if advised to do so by public officials.

Be aware of weather emergency hazards:

Falling trees, utility poles, and buildings
Downed power lines—always assume the wires are live
Gas leaks
Flooding
Lightning
Ice, sleet, freezing rain, or drifting snow

Develop a home emergency plan:

Prepare an emergency kit in case you lose power or cannot leave.
Move to the safest part of the house.
Bring in outdoor furniture, etc., if high wind or flood may occur.
Know and follow the workplace emergency plan:
Respond to alarm signal or evacuation notice.
Turn off equipment if possible.
Perform any assigned emergency duties.
Follow assigned evacuation route.
Use assigned evacuation exit(s).
Assemble in assigned meeting place.
Notify your employer if you are unable to get to work.



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