Common Causes of Workplace Disasters

4/5/2021 (Permalink)

When a disaster occurs in the workplace, mere seconds can be the difference between some extra paperwork and life-threatening situations. The main point of a workplace disaster or emergency is that you will never know when one is set to occur. This means understanding the types of disasters and what can potentially cause them is crucial. 

Common Types of Emergencies

• Fires and Explosions - Fires can be caused by natural events as well as preventable accidents. Be sure to have clear safety guidelines when dealing with any potential fire hazards and enforce rules and regulations. 

• Medical Emergencies - A medical emergency is unpredictable and usually hard to prevent, but you can prepare. Make sure you have relevant medical information on all staff along with individual emergency contact information. 

• Severe Weather - Natural emergencies are the hardest to plan for and predict due to their very nature. A natural emergency could occur as a result of flooding, severe weather such as hurricanes or tornadoes, or forest fires. Be vigilant in watching the weather reports and listening to any and all warnings and advisories. 

• Power Outages - Call your utility and report the power outage, or call 911 in case of immediate danger. Turn off and disconnect your small business’s equipment to prevent damage.

• Hazardous Material Spills - If you work with hazardous materials, it is imperative to provide your staff with proper training. Ensure everyone is aware of the potential dangers and knows how to properly handle these materials. 

Knowing the common causes of workplace disasters can hopefully help to prevent any from occurring, but as there are some completely out of your control it is crucial to prepare for these worst-case scenarios to: 

• Keep employees and responders free from harm
• Manage life-threatening situations
• Minimize damage to the environment, equipment, machinery, tools, etc.
• Minimize downtime

SERVPRO is faster to any disaster because we know the importance of the first few minutes following an emergency and how important it is to the outcome of such events. SERVPRO also has over 50 years of experience in biohazard cleanup and restoration after water or fire damages. Add them into your emergency response plan to make sure you minimize damages to your business if a disaster is to occur.