Category: Emergency Preparedness and Response

No one wants it to happen, but an emergency, natural or manmade, can strike at anytime, 24/7. What’s more, it need not be a major, nationally-televised incident, such as a hurricane, earthquake, or act of political terror. An event as common as a local building fire can present just as large a challenge to you. These resources will help you create a plan for handling such crises, whatever their scope, and to carry it out in a way that best protects your employees and your company.

Free Special Report: 50 Tips for More Effective Safety Training

Refinery Go Boom! Possible New Model for Process Safety

Every time a facility explodes, we look for ways it could have been prevented. Well, in the wake of a refinery explosion in Richmond, California, Cal/OSHA has proposed strict process safety measures at oil refineries. We are taking a look at Cal/OSHA’s proposal because it has been suggested that other states follow California’s lead. The […]

4 Extra Chemical Reporting Tips for Waste Facilities

The EPA claims that there are sufficient regulatory reasons for TSDFs to be in contact with local authorities concerning emergency procedures. The Agency points to 40 CFR 264.30 to 264.37 and 40 CFR 265.30 to 265.37, the requirements that TSDFs develop preparedness and prevention plans, and specifically 40 CFR 264.37 and 40 CFR 265.37, where […]

Fight Workplace Fires Before They Start

Each year, fire erupts at some 70,000 U.S. workplaces, killing 200 employees, injuring thousands, and causing billions of dollars in property damage. Most workplace fires are the result of human behavior rather than equipment failure, which means they can be prevented with a proactive program reinforced by training. Yesterday, we looked at the major causes […]

What Will Cause Your Workplace Fire?

It was around 4 a.m. on Saturday, March 7, when the AMF bowling alley in Huntsville, Alabama, caught fire. As a cloud of smoke spread over the sleeping city, firefighters entered the building to fight the blaze, which is believed to have started in the bowling alley’s kitchen. While the firefighters moved through the building, […]

Environmental Crisis Communication: How to Avoid Community Outrage

10 Tips for Communicating an Environmental Crisis Accept responsibility for real and perceived environmental risks at your facility. The time to develop a public relations program is not after the incident happens. Facilities should already have a plan that addresses crisis communication. Companies that isolate themselves in times of crisis will be blamed by a […]

TRI 2013 Data Is Out: Tips to Manage Community Expectations

TRI is designed to provide citizens with information about chemicals being used, processed, manufactured, or released from facilities in their communities. The basic premise of TRI is that citizens have a right to know about toxic chemicals that are handled or released in their community. Meaning of “Release” under TRI Under the Emergency Planning and […]

Private Lives, Workplace Problem: Preventing Domestic Violence at Work

When an intern for Liz Claiborne, Inc., the women’s clothing manufacturer headquartered in New York City, was being harassed by an ex-boyfriend, the company security department immediately intervened. She was provided with daily escorts to her train station, and she was told to call the company’s dispatch center each evening to confirm that she arrived […]

Gunshot fired at work: What do you do?

This question deserves a thoughtful response because active shooters and other active assailants present clear and present danger for workplaces across the United States as evidenced by the frequency and severity of recent attacks both here and abroad. Consider the following: There were 19 identified active assailant events in 2014 and over 40% of those […]