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Disaster recovery - Is your workplace prepared

Natural disasters can happen any time, any place.   During September 2010’s quake in Canterbury, most people were at home, asleep.  But when another earthquake struck in February 2011, many people were at work, at school, or shopping.

If disaster strikes during working hours, all workplaces should be prepared to deal with a civil defence emergency, so that potential harm to affected employees can be minimised.  

Ensuring the safety of employees

Employers are required under the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 to develop procedures - with employee input - for emergencies that could arise at work.  This means that advance preparation for any civil defence emergency is a legal requirement.

Emergency response plans

One means of complying with this requirement is to develop an Emergency Response Plan that is suitable for each worksite.

The Department of Labour, in conjunction with ERMA New Zealand, have produced an easy-to-use Workplace Emergency Procedures Plan for employers and others with workplace responsibilities to use.  It can be downloaded from the Department of Labour’s website.

The plan covers:

Each section needs to be individually populated with essential emergency information specific to each workplace.  Once the emergency response plan has been completed, all employees at the workplace or worksite need to know:

Emergency response trials should be conducted annually, or when there has been a significant change in staff. 

For owners of buildings that require a Fire Evacuation Scheme, trial evacuations must occur at six-monthly intervals[1].  For further information about evacuation schemes, visit the Fire Service’s website.

Civil Defence cabinets

One practical option for helping to ensure staff safety is to provide a Civil Defence cabinet (or cabinets).  There should be at least one per worksite, and it is preferable to have one on each floor of a multi-level building or per 100 staff members. (See Table 1 for recommendations on contents and for food to be held on-site.)

Advice should be taken on where cabinets should be located so that they are likely to be protected by void spaces created in the event of a structural collapse.

Additional equipment

If the workplace is located in a multi-storey building, and some employees are trained rescue personnel, multi-storey rescue equipment can be stored.

First aid kits should also be located outside the Civil Defence cabinet, particularly for large worksites, for “everyday” use.  For advice on where first aid kits should be located, read the Department of Labour’s Good Practice Guide: First Aid for Workplaces.

Essential documentation

If the workplace stores, manufactures or uses hazardous substances, it is recommended that a hazardous substances manifest is kept in a safe place outside of the work site, listing:

The manifest and a basic site plan, showing where hazardous substances are situated, will provide very useful information for emergency services personnel.  Safety data sheets should be supplied where practicable, or backed up on a compact disc or removable flash drive and stored with other essential documentation.

Emergency contact details for employees should be kept up to date. A list of employee names, phone numbers and addresses should be kept with other essential documentation, such as insurance records, supplier contacts, bank details, and other information necessary to help re-start business operations. 

Essential documentation should be secured, and kept in a place that is independent of the main workplace building(s), e.g. in a locked, waterproof container and secured on the property, or kept at the manager’s house.

Further Information

Civil Defence Information:
Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management

Business Fire Safety:
New Zealand Fire Service

Recommendations for on-site equipment and food[2]

Table 1: List of minimum equipment for a workplace civil defence cabinet

Quantity Description

1

Full height Civil Defence Cabinet (orange) with Civil Defence Logo

3

Woollen blankets

10

Foil blankets

2

Folding stretchers

2

20m of polypropylene rope (for general use, not for supporting human life)

4

Torches (and spare batteries and bulbs)

1

Dispenser of sanitised waterless hand cleaner

1

Packet of 100 large plastic bags (for sanitation purposes)

2

3.6 x 3.6 tarpaulins (for temporary shelter)

1

Stepladder (must fit in or be locked to cabinet)

2

Small portable radios and spare batteries (enough for three changes per radio)

3

5 litre water containers (filled with water)

3

Water purification tablets (packets)

1

20-inch wrecking bar

1

Multi-purpose saw

1

Hacksaw and 10 spare blades

1

Sledge hammer

1

Carpenter’s hammer

1

Number 8 pliers

1

Axe

1
(per 25 staff)

Civil Defence disaster first aid kit

8 pairs

Full leather Riggers’ gloves

1

Box (of 50) dust masks

8

Safety goggles

8

Safety helmets (standard industrial helmet with chin strap, orange colour)

8

Whistles

1

Box of disposable earplugs

1

Box of latex gloves

5 rolls

Fabric duct tape (for use on windows during a storm)

5
(or more)

Plastic buckets

1

Copy of building floor plan showing the location of first aid kits, exits, utility isolation, fire panel, occupancy locations, etc.

Enough non-perishable food should be stored for employees to last three days.  It should be stored in or near the Civil Defence cabinet(s).

Examples of non-perishable food adequate for emergency provisions are:

Don’t forget additional equipment such as

[1] Schedule 3, Fire Safety and Evacuation of Buildings 2006

[2] Advised by the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management