Tip for Pipeline Workers: Follow Safe Evacuation Procedures
Our final tip for pipeline workers- Follow Safe Evacuation Procedures
Many accidents at the job site can be avoided with simple precautionary measures but crisis situations can occur even at the safest job sites (e.g. flooding, civil disturbances, etc.). Nobody wants emergency scenarios to occur but employers and employees have to be ready for when they happen.
Companies must prepare for the unexpected by establishing a well-thought-out evacuation plan for employees. A good evacuation plan describes all the tasks that workers at the jobsite must do during and after a crisis situation.
The employer must get team members together and brainstorm for the best evacuation plan at the job site. If an employer does not feel confident about establishing its own emergency evacuation procedure, they can always hire a consultant to help them establish a good plan and provide the training for the team members.
Below are some of the basic components of an evacuation plan:
- A designated person to order evacuation- there must be an authorized person or persons who will be in-charge of declaring the evacuation. The people who will be assigned this task must be decisive and have presence of mind during stressful situations.
- An alarm system- set up an effective alarm system with audio and visual cues to alert people of emergencies. Do a regular check-up of the alarm systems to ensure that they are working properly.
- A back-up communication system- a working communication system is important for notifying workers and emergency response teams about the emergency.
- Clear workplace maps, designated routes and exits, and refuge areas- all designated exits and routes must be established with the evacuation plan. It is the company’s duty to provide workplace maps that clearly show the routes employees must take during an evacuation. The employees must also know the places they must converge in after the evacuation.
- The step-by-step evacuation process- aside from the clear chain of command during evacuation, the step-by-step process must be established and communicated to the workers. Workers must follow these procedures for the safety of everyone.
Aside from the step-by-step process on the evacuation of workers, the job site must establish an emergency action plan that includes the following:
- A guide on reporting emergencies- assign authorized personnel to report fires and other emergencies to the proper authorities.
- A comprehensive list or database of the emergency contact people for each worker at the site- this database or list must be accessible anywhere. In case a worst-case scenario happens, the site manager or other authorized personnel must be able to access the list even from a remote location.
- Emergency contact numbers- prepare a list of emergency contact numbers that includes the contact numbers of the police department, the fire department, hospital and other emergency response teams.
To learn more about the basics of safe evacuation procedures, watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb08DaaijOM
Terry Smeader
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Tags: evacuation, Oil, pipeline, safe, workers
