Mass gatherings are a regular occurrence at commercial buildings and retail spaces. However, the larger the crowd is, the more difficult it can be to keep everyone safe in an emergency situation. Businesses must design and update their emergency action plans to keep all of their employees and customers safe. In the event of an emergency, proper preparation is the key to safety and security.
Emergency Action Plans
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has laid out guidelines for all employers to follow, especially when it comes to emergency situations. Employers need to create and maintain these emergency action plans as part of their preparations for any emergency that can affect their premises. Minimum requirements include the following:
- How to report fires or other emergencies
- How to evacuate the building safely
- What to do after evacuating
- Who is in charge of providing rescue or first aid
Types of Emergencies
Many different types of emergency can affect any mass gathering, whether it is for a special occasion or just an average day. One type of emergency that your employees and customers need to be prepared for is workplace violence. Your employees and customers also need to ready in case of a fire in a nearby building, if the elevators unexpectedly break down, and flooding due to seasonal storms.
Planning for Crowds
Crowd control is essential whenever a mass gathering is about to happen. Thus, the emergency action plans that your business implements will need to account for what crowds will do once they are inside your building or simply near it. For instance, it might be necessary to hire more unarmed security guards. Your staff members should also know where they should be in order to control the flow of traffic at the doors and within the area itself.
During an Emergency
All emergency action plans for mass gatherings must include policies outlining how your employees should react to the behavior of the crowd. Potential issues include overcrowding, stampedes, crowd violence, and fire safety. In addition, you must make sure that emergency exits are not locked. Make it clear who is responsible for contacting first responders in case a medical emergency happens during a mass gathering, and lastly, be sure to train your employees in how to assist the responders who arrive.
CES is Dedicated to Serving Our Community
Since opening in 1975, we have been committed to serving businesses in the District of Columbia, Virginia, and Maryland. Our values include proactive communication, honesty, reliability, and quality. We also believe in paying unparalleled attention to detail, no matter which service you require us to provide.
Our services include the following: Professional security teams for permanent, temporary, emergency and rapid-response support; around-the-clock patrols and management attention; concierge and hospitality staffing; and a dedicated mobile patrol service with associated staffing. Contact us for a free, professional consultation today! Call 443-471-7000. Don’t forget to follow us on Social Media through Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn!