3 Ideas to Help Create Building Safety Protocols

In most workspaces, the office manager is the go-to person for information and training when it comes to keeping the team safe in an emergency. This can seem daunting, but these tips can ready you to put out any office fire (hopefully metaphorically) and allow your team to feel safe and secure at work.

1. Take a floor warden training. Connect with your property management office to find out when the next safety and floor warden training will take place. This is where you will learn about evacuation plans and the locations of fire doors, smoke blankets, fire extinguishers, and hoses. They will also provide you with a list of necessary supplies you should purchase for your office. Ask any questions you may have at the training, as you will now be the authority for your office on all things safety.
2. Get your supplies ready — and be creative! You should maintain a rotating three day supply of water and non-perishable food per person. Additionally, keep general aid supplies stored in a safe space, such as flashlights, first aid kits (stocked with supplies for physical injuries and basic pain medications), a whistle to signal for help, antibacterial hand and surface wipes, pads, tampons, toilet paper, paper towels, and garbage bags with ties for sanitation. Additional items that are useful to include are dust masks to protect against contaminated air and a wrench or pliers to turn off utilities. Plastic cutlery would also be useful, and don’t forget can openers for non-perishable, canned goods.
3. Plan and train your team! Your safety plan should include different types of possible emergencies, including the chain of command communications as well as what responsibilities will be assigned to whom. There should be a full emergency plan written for each type of disaster and what steps will be taken. A well thought-out plan should also include how the team will return to normalcy after an event as well as contacts for any needed stress counseling. And finally, you need a safe place to keep all key documents, including business contacts, employee health and emergency contact records, and employee contact details for any other offices you may have.

Disasters are unpredictable, and while the hope is you never have to execute on your plan, you and your team will feel confident and secure with the right information, well-stocked supplies, and advance training to be ready when disaster strikes.