Be Prepared for an Emergency

Tornado. Hurricane. Earthquake. You never know when an emergency situation may force you to leave your home or work to deal with disaster situations. In the event of a major disaster, you and your family should realistically plan to be self-sufficient for at least seven days before outside resources are available. A little preparation now could save lives and prevent injuries in the future. 

Change stored food and water supplies in all your kits every six months and write the 

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Chemical Industries Association, Be prepared for an emergency - Training Exercises, Chemical Industries Association, London (1992) (ISBN 0 900623 73 X)... 

Each employer must address what actions employees are to take when there is an unwanted release of highly hazardous chemicals. Emergency preparedness is the employer s third line of defense that will be relied on along with the second line of defense, which is to control the release of chemicals. Control releases and emergency preparedness will take place when the first line of defense to operate and maintain the process and contain the chemicals fails to stop the release. In preparing for an emergency chemical release, employers will need to decide the following ... 

Another important step in preparing for an emergency is acquiring appropriate equipment, which is kept readily available for use. Some of this should be located in the laboratory area and every laboratory should be furnished with it. Other equipment, because of the cost and... 

Despite, the effectiveness of the emergency plans, the TMI-2 experience has shown that the preparations for an emergency must be increased in every country. 

There is no particular medical response to excess UV exposure to the cornea other than rest. Thus, the best preparation for an emergency is to make sure it cannot happen. Skin exposure can be treated as one treats a sunburn. 

Emergency action plans are especially necessary in laboratories. Plans should be prepared for response to situations such as fire, explosions, flooding, severe weather (tornadoes, hurricanes), earthquakes, medical emergencies, violent acts or threats of violence (e.g., bombs), and release of hazardous materials. Accidents at nearby locations such as adjacent laboratories and transportation facilities may affect the laboratory worker. According to OSHA 29 CFR 1910.38, the minimum elements of an emergency action plan include ... 

At home, put together an emergency kit that would be appropriate for any emergency. See Preparing Emergency Suppties)... 

No less important is the hospital s ability to process large numbers of victims in a timely fashion. Hospitals need to know how their decon systems should be organized and equipped, whether decon is best done inside or outside of the facility, what PPE emergency department personnel should wear, how the system should accommodate both walk-in and ambulance-delivered patients, and the patient volume that should be manageable in an emergency department that has 10,000, 25,000, or 60,000 visits a year. Another issue is how the cost for being prepared could be recovered by the hospital. Unlike other modernization efforts, a decontamination unit is not going to pay for itself with new patients and fees for the hospital. 

Be prepared for accidents. Before beginning an experiment, know what specific action to take in the event of the accidental release of any hazardous substance. Know the location of all safety equipment and the nearest fire alarm and telephone, and know what telephone numbers to call and whom to notify in the event of an emergency. Be prepared to provide basic emergency treatment. Keep your co-workers informed of your activities so that they can respond appropriately. 

Carefully examine any documentation required by the institution. Such documentation, which should be made readily available, may include experiment plans, training plans and records, chemical and equipment hazard information, operating plans, and an upto-date emergency evacuation plan. An emergency plan should always be prepared for the contingencies of ventilation failure (resulting from power failure, for example) and other emergencies, such as fire or explosion in a chemical fume hood. 

If your company performs a practice drill or drills, be sure to take part. For you personally, a drill is the best way to prepare yourself for an emergency. A drill is yovu chance to get accustomed to escape procedures and routes and to recognize the sound of the alarm. In this way, emergency procedures become more routine, and this simplifies any decision-making you might need to make. 

Think about what kinds of emergencies you may encounter in carrying out this experiment and prepare for them. You will find that the kinds of emergencies (fires, explosions, chemical exposure) that might happen are common to many reactions so you can take steps to be prepared for these. As in any other job or task at home, if you work in a laboratory for any significant amount of time, you will experience an emergency. Prepare and practice for those emergencies. 

Each day, schools across this nation must be prepared for potential hazards and situations that may arise. Preparing an emergency response requires many actions in various areas. These actions of planning and preparation are vital to the success of any emergency response in which you will engage. Each school district must develop an emergency response plan that is individualized to their specific location and identified hazards, as well as those hazards that exist for all entities. 

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