Less than one-third of employees consider their workplace prepared for emergencies

Fewer than one in three (31 per cent) workers believe their workplace is proactive about emergency preparedness, found a recent survey of 2,019 working adults in the United States by Cintas Corporation.
Establishing emergency plans, conducting training, ensuring correct placement of response tools and ongoing maintenance of these items is essential, said Jamie Samide, senior director of marketing at Cintas.

"Since many employed adults spend the majority of their waking hours in the workplace, organizations need to be prepared to handle injuries, health emergencies or inclement weather with both proactive and reactive solutions,” he said. “However, our survey highlights a gaping hole in organizational preparedness.”

Proactive solutions are necessary to ensure ongoing safety and include training, personal protective equipment (PPE) and emergency response plans. Yet, of employed U.S. adults:

• more than three-quarters (76 per cent) say their workplace has not conducted emergency drills in preparation of weather-related disasters

• less than one-fifth (18 per cent) indicate their workplace has provided training about medical emergencies such as diabetic attacks, strokes and choking

• 43 per cent say their workplace has an emergency response plan in place

• 19 per cent note that their workplace has asked employees to be part of an emergency response team.

Although many workplaces have the proper reactive solutions in place, like first-aid cabinets, employee education and regular maintenance of items are lacking. The results reveal:

• 94 per cent of employed U.S. adults indicate their workplace has a dedicated first-aid kit or cabinet on site, but 51 per cent do not know where it is located

• 58 per cent of employees say their workplace’s first aid kit or cabinet is not kept stocked with necessary items.