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All businesses and industries in Lowndes
County are encouraged to have a plan in place at their facilities which
addresses employee and customer safety before, during, and after severe weather
events and winter storm events. Having a plan in place eliminates confusion as
to what actions to take and at what time.
We encourage all businesses and industries to
purchase a NOAA Weather Alert Radio, so that they may be aware of when severe
weather or winter weather events are imminent.
We have prepared for you sample plans which
you may modify for your business. These plans address severe weather events,
winter storm events, and special activities (such as employee picnics). Our hope
is that you will develop your own plan for your safety, your employees' safety,
and the safety of those visiting your facilities.
SEVERE WEATHER
PREPAREDNESS TIPS FOR BUSINESSES AND
INDUSTRIES
The severe weather preparedness rules developed for
individuals and families under Disaster Preparedness
and Planning for Individuals and Families can be easily adapted for use in
the business and industrial setting.
WINTER STORM PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS
FOR BUSINESSES AND INDUSTRIES
Most of the information provided under
Suggested
Winter Storm Safety Rules for individual and family preparedness can be
modified for use in the business and industrial setting.
However, there are several other suggestions for businesses
and industries in managing Winter Storm events:
- Write a Winter Storm Plan for your place of business.
- When Winter Storms threaten or are occurring,
monitor local radio and television stations for information such as road
closings, school closings, other weather information, and other information
which pertains to the winter storm event which may be pertinent to your
employees' safety. Please encourage your employees to NOT call 911, the
Police Department, Emergency Management, or any other response agency for
this information. Call 911 or response groups only in case of an
emergency. Emergency Management receives road closing and school closing
information from the appropriate agency and passes the information
immediately to the local news media.
- Establish an inclement weather attendance policy for your
employees.
- Establish a phone bank or emergency phone number that
employees can call to receive information as to when they are to report into
work, if their shift has been canceled, if they are to report several hours
later, etc... This saves the employer time in contacting all the media and
the employee time by not having to watch several television stations at once
to determine when they are to report to work. Another suggestion is to
contact possibly 2 radio stations and one television station to make your
emergency announcements for you. Notify employees of which stations to
monitor for emergency information. Make sure that all of your employees or a
majority of your employees are in the broadcast range of the media you will
use.
- Determine how transportation of employees will be handled.
Will employees get to work the best way they can? Will management establish
a transportation coordinator to coordinate rides for all personnel or for
essential personnel only? Will transportation be provided by a company
leased or owned vehicle?
- In case of an extended power outage, make sure you have a
generator so that essential company functions can resume uninterrupted.
SEVERE WEATHER PLANNING FOR
SPECIAL EVENTS
Every year, businesses and industries plan
special events for their employees, such as employee picnics. Our hope is that
careful planning for the safety of the employees and their families is
considered during this time. Severe weather may occur any time of the year, and
it is especially important that plans be prepared in advance, so everyone may
know what actions to take during specific circumstances.
SUGGESTIONS FOR MANAGING WITH
SEVERE WEATHER DURING
SPECIAL EVENTS
- Organize a safety committee for the event well in advance,
and write a severe weather safety plan for special events.
- Establish your own command post for the event.
- Monitor the weather forecast at least the day before and
the morning of the event.
- If severe weather is imminent, postpone or cancel the event
or move the event indoors.
- If severe weather is rapidly approaching the area, keep a
weather alert radio at the event and designate a person(s) to monitor the
situation.
- Designate a spokesperson for the committee to make special
weather announcements at the event if there is threatening weather moving
into the area or in progress.
- Prepare pre-scripted announcements to be made at events if
notification of severe weather is necessary.
- Make sure that a telephone is available (car phone, mobile
phone, phone at site of event, etc...) in case emergency calls must be
made.
- Know where to take cover
in open, outdoor areas or inside the building if the event is indoors.
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