Natural disasters also adversely affect business, industry, and commerce. In fact, their impact on business can be felt for as long as two to three years following the event. While large companies can invest a portion of their operational profits into disaster recovery plans and preparation, losses accrued by an ill-prepared small business can be catastrophic.

We here at MAC Safety thought it would be helpful to provide some natural disaster preparedness tips for the businesses we work with every day.

Read more about Natural Disaster Preparedness.

How to Protect Your Company During a Natural Disaster

As the nation recovers from the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma, and the wildfires in California, much attention right now is rightfully on the lives lost or severely impacted. We’ve watched the cable news coverage. We’ve seen the startling images. We’re aware of the number of residents displaced and the number of homes destroyed. We all wish we could do more for these people. We donate. We pray. Many have traveled to Texas or Florida to physically assist in rescue and recovery efforts. It is times like these where we come together as people to help fellow man in whatever way we can.

Natural disasters also adversely affect business, industry, and commerce. In fact, their impact on business can be felt for as long as two to three years following the event. While large companies can invest a portion of their operational profits into disaster recovery plans and preparation, losses accrued by an ill-prepared small business can be catastrophic.

We here at MAC Safety thought it would be helpful to provide some natural disaster preparedness tips for the businesses we work with every day. Although our clients in Pittsburgh and the New England area may feel far removed from the threat of a hurricane, earthquake, or wildfire, storm cycles and mother nature, in general, are becoming increasingly unpredictable. The threat of tornadoes, flooding, fires, and disruptive winter storms are very real in our region. The best time to respond is before they even take place.

It’s a matter of preparing a plan for business continuity and workplace safety and putting it in place. This kind of preparation is key to weathering the storm and recovering in its aftermath. Some well-placed attention and effort right now can minimize damage, ensure worker safety, and help mitigate business disruption once disaster hits.

The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) has recommended five basic steps to preparing your workplace for a hurricane or other natural disaster.

1. DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

OSHA requires many businesses to have an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) in place. This plan has a thorough evacuation plan. Specified are the conditions in which it’s activated, establishing a chain of command, emergency functions to be performed, who performs them, evacuation procedures (routes, exits), how to account for all personnel, customers, and visitors, and equipment operation/shutdown protocols.

Even if your business isn’t required to implement an EAP, it’s important to assess how you’d keep your business operating through a natural disaster. You should consider the following:

• Backing Up Business Critical Data & Applications
• Protecting Site Facilities & Equipment
• Operating Remotely if Facility Becomes Inaccessible
• Establishing an On-Site Support Plan to Ensure Business Continuity
• Securing a Recovery Services Provider
• Declaring Emergency Status Sooner Rather than Later
• Implementing an Effective Communications Strategy
• Always Bracing for the Unexpected

Hospitals, in particular, have a number of different challenges. All of the above-mentioned items remain important, but hospitals have to prepare for patient overflow, have an evacuation plan in place for patients, and develop critical partnerships they can rely on during the event. For instance, triages may need to be set up for emergency care if there’s patient overflow or a necessary evacuation at the hospital. They’d want to partner with community centers, local schools, or the municipal building in this case.

Structural protection is also important. Especially pre-storm. Windows or glass doors will need to be boarded up. Any people, items, and equipment near any windows or doors should be moved.

Supply inventories need to be checked.

Backup power generators need to be checked to ensure they have adequate capacity to power medical equipment and AC units. Since generator failure is quite common in these situations, make sure there’s at least 7 to 10 days of fuel for generators, repair parts, or redundant systems in place.

Secure or anchor down anything that has the potential to become flying debris.

Turn off non-essential electrical equipment or shutting off gas to reduce the risk of fire or explosion.

2. DETERMINE PROCEDURES & INDIVIDUAL CRISIS MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Obviously, when there’s warning of an impending disaster, not every employee has to be on-site that day. Establish what personnel are essential to business operations and whether they need to be on-site or off-site.

Areas of accountability and responsibility have to be clearly communicated to designated managers and staff. Particularly when it comes to effectively carrying out crisis management and emergency-response duties.

3. COORDINATE WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES & EMERGENCY RESPONSE SERVICES

Talk to other businesses in your area as well as local police, fire departments, EMTs, hospitals, and utility companies. It’s important that everyone is aware of who is where. Everyone needs to be on the same page as the storm or event nears.

It’s also recommended that you talk to suppliers, shipping companies, and others you regularly do day-to-day business with.

4. MAKE SURE EMPLOYEES ARE PREPARED

A plan only works if it is fully understood by employees. Any natural disaster preparedness plan needs to be clearly communicated with all personnel and staff. Everyone needs to understand their roles, individual or team responsibilities, and the expectations for every employee.

Designate a disaster team and then have a team designated to back that team up. It’s best that these teams be representative of a diverse range of employees. Designated leaders need to understand they’re empowered to make complex decisions in the face of unanticipated scenarios. All teams need to be regularly updated regarding the plan and their role.

5. REVIEW EMERGENCY PLANS ANNUALLY

Nothing remains the same. Make sure you assess your emergency plans every year. Changes to your business or within your region will affect any natural disaster response plan. Alterations to your plan need to be made each year in response to such changes.

For more information and disaster preparedness planning tools, please visit FEMA.gov or OSHA.gov.

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ABOUT MAC SAFETY

MAC Safety Consultants, Inc. is a full-service safety consulting company committed to providing a range of cost-effective safety solutions ranging from consultations to staffing services to drug/alcohol testing. We offer completely customizable business solutions addressing the specific needs of each individual client. Our objective is to help your company cultivate a safety culture where worksite safety practices are promoted and workplace injuries or illnesses are minimized.

Visit us online at http://macsafetyconsultants.com. If you’re in the Pittsburgh area, call us today at 724-847-3331. If you’re in the New England region, you may reach us at 617-855-8377.

According to Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), more than 4.1 million workers suffer a serious job-related injury or illness every year—4,500 of which result in death. These injuries not only can destroy the lives of your employees but can also spell big trouble for your bottom line. Paid time off, workers compensation claims, lawsuits and OSHA citations can add up to a huge expense–but a Boston safety consultant can help prevent these scenarios and more.

The good news is, the overwhelming majority of these incidents can be prevented through adequate planning, knowledge and training. The Boston safety consultants at MAC Safety of New England make it their job to reduce injuries in your workplace. Here are some ways they can keep your safe and save your money:

Establishing Safety Programs
Whether your business is just getting started or you’re ready to get serious about reducing risk, the safety consultants at MAC Safety can help develop, train and implement a safety program from scratch. We will create a unique, fully customized written safety program designed with your industry standards in mind, and acknowledging the unique aspects of your job site.

Then we will work with employees of all levels to train, educate and understand every aspect of program so that it can be implemented and tracked, long after our job is done.

OSHA Compliancy
OSHA citations are costly at best and could even lead to job-site shut down. A MAC Safety consultant can come to your job site and conduct mandatory trainings, identify OSHA violations, educate managers on the complex rules of the industry and even conduct Mock OSHA inspections so there are no surprises when it comes time for the real thing.

Risk Assessments
Our safety consultants are trained to spot hazards, evaluate risk, and implement precautions in any industry. When you are on-site every day it’s easy to overlook the hazards around you. A fresh, trained eye can spot problems before they start and help you learn to avoid injury.

If you want to take a proactive approach to preventing workplace injury at your Boston area business, contact the safety experts at MAC Safety today.

An OSHA risk assessment is an evaluation of your workplace and work habits to identify potential hazards, assess probability of injury and establish protocol to reduce the likelihood of injury. Conducting periodic OSHA risk assessments is a great way to reduce injury and ensure compliancy of OSHA standards, which will reduce long term costs and keep your Boston business operating efficiently.

How does an OSHA Risk Assessment Work?
A risk assessment can be done independently by your company or through a third-party OSHA expert such as MAC Safety. During this process, the surveyor works closely with employees to meticulously inspect the workplace environment and practices to identify potential hazards (for example; machinery, chemicals, tripping hazards).

These hazards are then studied to determine the likelihood or injury (how easy would it be to get caught in the gears?). Once high-risk areas are identified a plan is developed to reduce the risk by modifying the area or implementing preventative measures.

Why Conduct a Risk Assessment?
Conducting regular risk assessments can protect your employees and save you money. Keeping your employees safe not only protects your workplace family but it reduces costs associated with workers compensation claims, lawsuits, and paid time off. Risk assessments also help ensure that your Boston business is operating in compliance with OSHA standards to help prevent costly citations and even full site shut-down.

Why use MAC Safety?
It is possible for a business to conduct its own risk assessments, but the effectiveness of doing so depends entirely on the company’s understanding of OSHA regulations, knowledge of risk assessment and time available to devote to safety assessment.

In most cases, businesses do not have the time or ability to conduct fully effective OSHA risk assessments, but luckily for you the experts at MAC Safety do this every day. We will come to your job site, work closely with your staff, identify all areas of concern based on the most recent OSHA guidelines for your specific industry and help develop a plan to reduce those risks.

To learn more about OSHA risk assessments for your Boston area business, contact MAC Safety today.

We’re The Boston Safety Consulting Company That Can Help

Sure, personal New Year’s Resolutions seldom work. But what about when it pertains to your company saving lives while also avoiding hefty penalties and disrupted business continuity? Fines for OSHA violations got way more expensive in 2016. We’re talking the kind of scary expensive that has had the phone of our Boston safety consulting company continuously ringing since August of 2016.

While OSHA compliance has always been important, it’s even more imperative now. Your workers and their families deserve a safe work environment. And your bottom line monetarily depends on it.

Not only are injuries on the job site undesirable from an employer to employee relations standpoint, they cost employers a ton of money. Worker’s compensation claims and litigation costs are one thing. Missed work, lost productivity/service, and the potential hit to a company’s reputation are another.

So, let’s begin this new year by avoiding the top OSHA citations in 2016. Here are five common OSHA violations our Boston safety consulting company can help you avoid in 2017.

Fall Protection Violations (Click Here For OSHA Fall Protection General Requirements) – There were over 6,906 OSHA Fall Protection violations in 2016. Evaluating worker safety is important here. Particularly workers tying off from rooftops. It’s important to continuously remind employees of hazards to keep them from becoming complacent. Edges with a drop of more than six feet – or floor openings or skylights – should be protected by bright and sturdy guard-or-side-rails.

Hazard Communication Violations (Click Here For OSHA Hazard Communication Requirements) – In 2016, there were 5,665 OSHA Hazard Communication violations. This primarily comes down to employee training and constant hazard reminders. Untrained or complacent workers create problems. Any hazardous chemicals transported to or from the jobsite must be properly communicated through the use of GHS labels. Safety Data Sheets (SDSs – formerly MSDSs or Material Safety Data Sheets) are good OSHA training requirements to refer to.

Scaffolding Violations (Click Here For OSHA Scaffolding Requirements) – An estimated 2.3 million construction workers frequently work on scaffolds. That’s 65% of the construction industry. There were 3,900 OSHA scaffolding violations in 2016. Comparatively, there are roughly 4,500 injuries and 50 scaffolding-related deaths each year.

Many of those incidents can obviously be prevented with proper safety protocols. For instance, tying off or using railing on any scaffolding where the space between it and the next level is more than ten feet. Frequently inspecting scaffolding to look for any possible damages like missing plank boards or guardrails. Cross braces should be used to brace frames with drop locks and considerable spacing.

Respiratory Protection Violations (Click Here For OSHA Respiratory Protection Requirements) – There were 3,573 OSHA respiratory protection violations in 2016. Procedures in a respiratory protection plan must be worksite specific. Respiratory hazards can be observed with a safety walkthrough. A medical evaluation of each employee is needed before fit testing. A respirator with the most acceptable fit can then be selected. Employers must record the employee’s name, the specific respirator used, the type of test performed, and the date. Fit test expiration dates must also be closely monitored.

Lockout/Tagout Violations (Click Here For OSHA Lockout/Tagout Requirements) – In 2016, there were 3,406 OSHA lockout/tagout (LOTO) violations. All employees must be continually trained and educated on LOTO procedures. Authorized personnel must take their responsibility seriously. They need to be confident and lead by example. Periodic inspections, particularly in busy areas where energy control is crucial, should be regularly scheduled and conducted.

Other common 2016 OSHA citations included powered industrial trucks (2,855 violations), ladders (2,625 violations), machine guarding (2,448 violations), and electrical (1,937 violations for Wiring Methods/1,704 violations for General Requirements).

Tell Us About Your Safety Management Challenges

Our Boston safety consulting company is just a phone call away at 617-997-8399 for a health and safety consultation. The experts at MAC Safety New England can walk through your job site to identify areas of concern and help you develop, implement, and manage a successful OSHA compliant safety management system.

Check out this article!

MAYOR WALSH FILES ORDINANCE TO PROTECT WORKER SAFETY IN BOSTON

Healthcare Safety Consultants in Boston

The culture of your healthcare facility is critically important, and safety is a major component to help streamline the workday and prevent injury to your staff. Furthermore, it also helps keep patients safe and major lawsuits against your facility at bay.

Improving the overall quality and safety of your healthcare organization can be a tough task. MAC Safety New England is the expert healthcare safety consultants Boston, Massachusetts who are here to make a big impact on your culture at the workplace. While there are a lot of ways to enhance the overall safety of your work environment—especially with a custom healthcare safety plan from MAC Safety New England—we have some practical tips to share to keep your work culture on track.

Keep Fire Extinguishers Within Close Reach

One of the safety big rules in any industry is to have convenient access to a fire extinguisher. Unfortunately, items can get pushed in front of extinguishers and block the ability for any staff member to reach one in a quick and timely manner. While you may verbally reprimand your staff, it’s much easier and perhaps more effective to offer visual cues for off-limits zones.

For example, you can use red tape to “tape off” that no items such as wheelchairs should be stored in certain areas. This will give staff a warning that this should remain free and clear of any items that block access to the fire extinguishers.

Identify High Risk Patients

If you have a patient who is at high risk of falling, it’s smart to identify him or her with a door sign. This will help staff be aware that this patient needs extra care while potentially reducing the overall fall rate.

Reduce the Risk of Blood borne Pathogens

Blood borne pathogens can be a serious concern in the world of healthcare. Bacterial and viral infections are easily transmitted through bodily fluids, so it pays to be prepared.

Some of the best ways to reduce the risk of pathogens is by practicing hand hygiene. This will help kill the presence of any infections and micro-organisms that may make their way around the facility. Your staff can also use antiseptics and disinfectant on the skin when necessary.

Don’t forget that it’s also important to clean and decontaminate medical instruments after use.

Hire Healthcare Safety Consultants for Your Custom Safety Program

While these tips can help your workplace remain safe and sterile, MAC Safety New England can raise the bar in terms of overall safety of your medical organization in Boston. Get in touch with us today for more information.