The document outlines the need for businesses to have a formal disaster response plan to keep employees safe in emergencies such as fires, storms, or chemical spills. It recommends that the plan address evacuation procedures, organizational response roles, emergency contact information, and customized assistance for employees with disabilities. The disaster response plan should be reviewed and updated regularly to ensure effectiveness.

1. Kathryn Kissinger HR Services 2013
Disaster Response Plan

2. Disaster Response Plan
Even the name of this policy invokes mental images of
chaos.
Stormy weather, chemical spills, fires, or worse. Do your
employees know what to do in the event of a disaster?
Most businesses with less than 50 workers are not required to
have a formal disaster response plan, unless there is
something inherent in the nature of the business, such as an
increased potential for fire or chemical spill.
Kathryn Kissinger HR Services 2013

3. Disaster Response Plan
The people who work for you need to have a plan for not
only themselves, but also for any clients or customers who
may be at your business when disaster strikes.
Don’t panic! These plans are relatively easy to create for most
workplaces, as your biggest threat would be from natural
disaster (storm, earthquake).
While your Plan cannot cover every conceivable situation, it
should supply the basic guidelines necessary to cope with
most emergencies. Being physically and psychologically
prepared to handle emergencies is everyone’s responsibility.
Kathryn Kissinger HR Services 2013

4. Disaster Response Plan
The increasing likelihood of natural disaster and the potential
for workplace disaster to cause extreme amounts of harm
highlights the need to have formal plans in place to respond
to workplace emergencies and makes the formal disaster plan
a “must-have” document.
**Under the AODA, as of January 1, 2012 Employers are
Required to provide Individualized Emergency
Response information to those employees who have
disabilities. (More info on this in a moment…)
Kathryn Kissinger HR Services 2013

5. Disaster Response Plan
It is a good idea to have a disaster plan in place for
each of the following situations, which may or may not
apply to your business. Some can be combined for
efficiency and ease of communication.
• Fire
• Extreme Weather and External disaster
• Chemical spill
• Medical Emergencies
• Violent Acts or Persons (i.e. your Bill 168 program)
Kathryn Kissinger HR Services 2013

6. AODA – Employment Standard
As of January 1, 2012, if you know that an employee with a
disability might need help in an emergency:
• Give them individualized emergency response information
• Get their consent, then share this information with anyone
designated to help them in an emergency
• Review the emergency response information when:
– the employee changes work locations
– you review the employee’s overall accommodation needs
– you review your organization’s emergency response policies.
Disabilities can be temporary or permanent, and “employee”
includes paid staff, but not volunteers or unpaid staff.
Kathryn Kissinger HR Services 2013

7. Disaster Response Plan
A disaster plan should provide:
– Steps to eliminate or minimize adverse effects from
emergency situations which may affect the production
of work
– Procedures for proper response to emergencies
– Instructions for personnel to ensure that they
understand their responsibilities during emergency
situations
Kathryn Kissinger HR Services 2013

8. Disaster Response Plan
Some things to consider when creating your plan:
• Evacuation Plan:
– Precautionary (move to another location within building)
or Safe rooms-is there a portion of your building that
could withstand most destructive forces and allow people
to shelter in place?
– Urgent (exit building immediately for safety reasons) and
Exit strategies-how to escape the building to a safer
location as quickly as possible
Kathryn Kissinger HR Services 2013

9. Disaster Response Plan
• Organizational Response Plans:
– Who from your company will respond if it is after
hours?
– Who speaks to the media?
– Who takes charge of the scene?
Kathryn Kissinger HR Services 2013

10. Disaster Response Plan
• Make sure all emergency contact numbers are
available no matter what the situation-chemical
spill response, fire, medical, etc.-by putting signs on
walls, pre-programming speed dial numbers on
phones and having the numbers available in
manuals and other handy places.
• Back-up systems-have cell phones and walkie-
talkies available so that staff can stay in contact
with each other/emergency services during power
outages
Kathryn Kissinger HR Services 2013

11. Disaster Response Plan
• Preventive measures: make sure your fire
extinguishers are kept charged, chemical spill
and first aid kits are properly stocked, ensure
that any other safety devices and protocols are
enforced and in place, and investigate “best
practice” efforts of similar businesses for new
ideas on how to manage emergency situations.
Kathryn Kissinger HR Services 2013

12. Disaster Response Plan
Review your emergency information
• Ask yourself, how do staff learn about an emergency and
what are they expected to do?
• Find out what kind of information employees need and if
they need it in an accessible format.
Determine who needs help
• Employees may not think about the information they need
to deal with an emergency; but you should.
• What might help them to stay safe? If you don’t know if
your employees need customized information, ask them by
making the offer to everyone.
Kathryn Kissinger HR Services 2013

13. Disaster Response Plan
Prepare and provide emergency information
• You can make a document accessible by recreating it in a
different format; for example, printing it in large print for
someone with vision loss. But you can also help someone to
use the original document or resource; for example, by reading
it aloud.
• Some employees may need more than an accessible format. For
example, if someone can’t hear a fire alarm, making the fire
evacuation plan accessible won’t help, but creating a customized
evacuation plan will.
• If they need another person’s help in an emergency, get the
employee’s consent, then share the emergency information with
the people who will help them. Don’t share details of the
employee’s disability, just what kind of help they need.
Kathryn Kissinger HR Services 2013

14. Disaster Response Plan
Follow up
• Revisit the information if the employee moves,
or if you review their accommodation needs or
update your emergency procedures.
Kathryn Kissinger HR Services 2013

15. Disaster Response Plan
As recent news has shown us, we never know
where or when disaster will strike.
Take the Boy Scout motto to heart:
“Be Prepared”
Make sure your employees are, too.
Kathryn Kissinger HR Services 2013