September is National Disaster Preparedness Month. Every building must be prepared to handle the expected emergencies for their area. This means conducting assessments of both the environment and surrounding businesses to determine what might happen. Examples include fire, earthquake, flooding, and loss of power, but could also include disasters like volcanic eruption, release of toxic chemicals from nearby buildings, and civil unrest. Basic information for employees to develop their own plans and kits can be found at Ready.gov.
Requirements for specific industries can be found at the following:
- Assisted Living, WAC 388-78A-2700
- Skilled Nursing, WAC 388-97-1740
- All employers, Chapter 296-24 WAC
In a similar vein, October has The Great Shakeout to help prepare for earthquakes. If you wish to participate, information can be found at shakeout.org.