| With lay-offs and reduced schedules to meet the current economic downturn, be sure to cover the employee emergency response assignments.
Ensure every employee has been retrained and/or reminded as to the role to be assumed in an emergency.
Also, check whether there is 24/7 coverage of emergency shut-off positions for water, gas, electric and other power sources.
Is your OSHA required emergency evacuation program up-dated and is every employee in possession of the current instructions?
Are all emergency "phone-tree" systems current? Do they cover both cell and land-line systems? Make sure a lay-off has not left a gap in the rotation of calls with a resultant break-down of the call system.
Are emergency food and water supplies safely stored and readily available and accessible? Where appropriate are there blankets, cots, water repellant covers, Coleman lanterns, flashlights, propane or other cooking units.
If you have auxiliary generator system power units, dedicate the back-up to emergency lighting and pumps and the fire extinguishment system's power needs. Verify ventilation of the unit to avoid carbon-monoxide dangers
Are hand-powered flashlights and radios available?
In areas susceptible to hurricanes are there plywood sections for protecting glass surfaces?
If tornados are your challenge, go to www.hud.gov and enter "tornado storm shelter" into their search engine. Although this could be a major capital expense, with the increasing intensity of tornados, it may be an item that must be confronted and evaluated.
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ARE YOUR EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROGRAMS CURRENT?