Having an emergency plan is not only necessary, it is also mandatory for companies in Chile. That is why we review below the main factors to consider when creating one, and the important role an emergency notification service such as VIPER MASS plays in making it effective.
In Chile, every company must have an emergency plan to reduce disaster risk, following the guidelines set out in Law 16,744 on occupational accidents and diseases. This regulation sets out the threats and safety procedures and, ultimately, determines what each person in our organization must do in the event of an incident, helping us keep the consequences to a minimum.
When you start drawing up a plan, a good starting point is assessing the risks around the organization. This matrix establishes the types of emergency you could face, the people involved in each of these scenarios and the alert systems you have.
How do we classify emergencies?
- Violence: incidents caused by one or more people that affect a particular employee, a group of employees or the entire organization. This includes physical violence, weapons, robberies or threats of any kind, among others.
- Natural disasters: this point, especially relevant in Chile, focuses on geography, since we could face earthquakes, tsunamis or landslides depending on our location.
- Hazardous materials accidents: we are not only talking about radiological, chemical or high-biohazard materials, but also about everyday hazards such as a natural gas leak.
- Fires: alarms and fire protection systems are the bare minimum. What we must not forget is that, in the event of a fire, every employee must know where and how to evacuate.
Who are my key stakeholders?
- Leaders and safety experts: in an emergency, they are responsible for raising an alert and launching the protocols. Company leaders must be included in key decisions together with the safety experts.
- Emergency teams: contact details for firefighters, police and rescuers are essential.
- Employees: to alert them in an emergency, it is important to map their workstation, shift type and any disability, among other things. We should also have their emergency contacts.
- Public opinion and the media: we recommend setting up an external communication channel to protect the company’s reputation.
How do we raise the alert?
Once we can picture the types of crisis we might face and who the relevant stakeholders are, it is important to ask how we will notify them of the emergency. It is not just about sending a message; it is about making sure the message is received and understood as quickly as possible.
At this point we cannot rely on traditional communication channels, since services could be interrupted by internet outages, blackouts and other problems. That is why, to comply effectively with the regulations, it is important to consider an emergency mass notification service such as VIPER MASS.
This platform ensures that information reaches the predefined stakeholders instantly and effectively, through the right channels. We can also coordinate the work of leaders and emergency experts, ensuring the emergency plan is effective.
Learn more about this service here.