What Should You Include In an Emergency Plan?

Chemicals are used in all facets of modern life; and more than 4.5 million facilities in the United States manufacture, use or store hazardous agents. That means chemical spills and other environmental cleanup disasters are a fact of life, no matter where you live. How would your business react to an emergency—be it a burst water main or a major chemical spill contamination?

Meeting OSHA Requirements
The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) Code of Federal Regulations (1910.39) requires businesses with more than ten employees to have an emergency evacuation plan. This official document makes information accessible during a chemical spill or other emergency. Remember to address these in your plan:

• Establish chemical spill warning and evacuation procedures for your building.
• Detail a hazardous material response plan that includes:
• Procedures to notify management, employees and emergency response organizations of an incident.
• Evacuation procedures and drills.
• Identify other facilities in your area that use hazardous materials. Determine whether an incident could affect your facility.
• The majority of hazardous material spills are due to trucking and shipping accidents. Determine how a transportation accident near your facility could affect your operations.
• Contact your Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) or local emergency management office for information about hazardous materials and community response plans. Ask the local fire department for assistance in developing appropriate response procedures.
• Have these disaster supplies on hand:
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Portable, battery-operated radio and extra batteries
• First aid kit and manual
• Emergency food and water
• Essential medicines
• If you hear sirens or other warning signals outside, turn on a radio or television for further emergency information.
• Move away from the accident scene and help keep others away.
• Don't walk into or touch any of the spilled substance. Try not to inhale gases, fumes and smoke. If possible, cover your mouth with a cloth while leaving the area.
• Stay away from accident victims until the hazardous material has been identified.
• Try to stay upstream, uphill and upwind of the accident.
• Turn off ventilation systems.
• If inside and gas or vapors have entered the building, take shallow breaths through a cloth or a towel.
• Avoid eating or drinking any food or water that may have been subject to contamination.
• Monitor the Emergency Broadcast System station for further updates and remain inside until authorities indicate it is safe to come out.

There's one other element to consider that should be part of your overall emergency measures—ensuring against disruptions in business continuity.

Agility's ReadySuite: A Complete Mobile Recovery Solution
A membership with Agility's ReadySuite ensures you have a mobile office to keep your business running, even if your physical space is completely destroyed. You're provided with emergency space and equipment, including computers, servers, and satellite telephone and internet link-ups—all within 48 hours of an emergency declaration.

Stay Connected With Customers—Before They Connect With Someone Else
If your business is destroyed, insurance will pay to rebuild it. But how do you maintain operations while rebuilding? Most customers won't wait in the interim: they'll take their business elsewhere.

ReadySuite is a simple, turn-key solution that lets you continue operations without interruption, regardless of the circumstance. Take the guesswork out of ensuring business continuity in the wake of a disaster. With ReadySuite, continuity and peace of mind can be yours. All for an affordable $275 a month.

ReadySuite Is Virtually Risk-Free
If there ever was an event, most business interruption insurance policies will cover the cost of ReadySuite. (Verify that's the case with your provider.) That makes ReadySuite a virtually risk-free way to ensure your business survival.

Call to learn why ReadySuite has a 100% success rate—and how its mobile recovery solutions can be applied to your business. Your call will be returned in one business day.

Be prepared in the event of any disaster—natural or otherwise. Learn more about Agility's ReadySuite.

Other Resources
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration: www.osha.gov

The Federal Emergency Management Agency: www.fema.gov

The US Environmental Protection Agency: www.epa.gov

Agility partner links.