• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

InFront on the Workforce

Long-term and post-acute care publication

Subscribe | Events | Advertise | Contact Us

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • Who We Are & What We Do
    • The Vision
    • Readership
  • RESOURCES
    • Important Links
  • Retention & Engagement
  • Culture & Leadership
  • Regulatory
  • Technology
  • Industry Trends

Take the Heat Off Employees If Fires Hit

By Joanne Kaldy / October 30, 2019

While caring for residents is top priority, your workers need support, guidance, resources when a fire hits. With a little effort, you can have a big impact.

As wildfires rage in northern California, you may think that you’re immune. However, accidents, industrial explosions, and other disasters could contribute to dangerous, life-threatening blazes anywhere. You have plans in place to ensure the safety of residents, but be sure to take some steps to help your employees through a fire disaster.

Even before the fire hits, it can have tremendous implications. For instance, communication can become difficult or impossible as power is cut. Be sure to have plenty of batteries, and be prepared to count on some low-tech tools such as portable or ham radios and walkie-talkies. Make sure employees know how to communicate with managers and others if they are unable to come to work or need help or information.

Wi-Fi may be down, which means you won’t have access to electronic health records and other information. Have a plan in place for how you will handle this in a way that protects privacy while ensuring that information is documented and shared as necessary.

Especially when winds are high, smoke can cause problems ahead of fires. Smoke can be a mixture of gases and fine particles from burning trees and other materials. Not only can this irritate eyes and throats, it can exacerbate asthma and other respiratory illnesses and cause chest pains, shortness of breath, and headaches. Have a supply of “N95” masks on hand to offer some protection. Note that paper “comfort” or “dust” masks will not protect your lungs from smoke.

Some other tips:

  • Pay attention to local air quality reports. Listen and watch for news or health warnings about smoke. Find out if your community provides reports about the Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Quality Index. Be alert to public health messages about taking additional safety measures.
  • Determine in advance how you will use social media to share information and communicate with staff and others.
  • Advise employees to stay indoors, and keep windows and doors closed. Run air conditioners if necessary, but keep the fresh-air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent outdoor smoke from getting inside.
  • Make sure no one adds to indoor pollution. For instance, use flashlights instead of candles if the power goes off. Consider “bagging” rooves to make buildings as airtight as possible.
  • Encourage employees to have a go-bag for emergency situations. If possible, keep a dozen or so of these on hand (filled with toiletries, bottled water, a first-aid kit, antibacterial wipes, and other items).
  • Post a list of area shelters, motels, hotels, and kennels on breakroom bulletin boards and other locations. Consider working with one or two hotels and a pet boarding facility to arrange discounts for your employees who are forced to evacuate their homes because of a fire or other disaster.

In the aftermath, make sure employees have access to employee assistance programs (EAPs). Consider bringing in insurance experts to help employees with claims and settlements regarding their homes and personal property. Have a plan for other ways you will help workers affected by the fires, such as disaster funds or food/clothing drives.

Check out the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for some helpful resources.

 

Related Posts

  • Do Your Employees Feel Psychologically Safe?
  • Encouraging Employees to Take a Digital Detox
  • Thank You: Two Small Words Have a Big Impact on Employees
  • Target Hard and Soft Skills That Are Just Right for Your Employees
  • It’s 9 a.m.: Do You Know Where Your Employees Are?

Categories: Culture & Leadership / Tags: Featured

Primary Sidebar

AROUND THE WEB

Items of interest from across the web.

  • As More States Are Legalizing Marijuana, How Should Employers Respond – HR Executive
  • Giving Thanks for Senior Living Employees, Leaders — McKnights
  • 22 States Petition CMS to End Mandate As 76% of SNF Staff Behind on Vaccines – Skilled Nursing News
  • 6 Ways to Re-energize a Depleted Team – Harvard Business Review
  • 7 Ways to Lift Up the Employees’ Morale Ahead of Holiday Season — Entrepreneur
  • Workforce, Financial Relief Focus in ‘Tumultuous Period’ After Midterms: Argentum – McKnights
  • 6 Steps to Creating More Inclusive Job Descriptions – HR Morning
  • Mental Wellbeing and Resilience: Tech + Culture to the Rescue – HR Daily Advisor
  • Employers Have ‘Flexibility Fatigue.’ But That Could Put Them on the Wrong Side of the ADA. – HR Dive(11/16) Employers Must Push Preventive Care to Inflation-Worried Staff – TLNT

View All

CONTACT INFO

Publisher: CC Andrews
440.638.6990
Editor: Joanne Kaldy

PO Box 360727
Cleveland, OH 44136

CATEGORIES

  • CULTURE & LEADERSHIP
  • RETENTION & ENGAGEMENT
  • REGULATORY
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • TRENDS IN THE INDUSTRY

Copyright © 2023 - InFrontWorkforce.com. All rights reserved.