This is the newest installment of my continuing series to provide safety professionals useful links from the Internet. September is National Preparedness Month in the United States. So in this edition, I'll look at emergency planning links for both families and businesses. Part 1 focuses on government agency sources. Review these sites, download what you need and personalize it for yourself, your employees and your family.

1. Department of Homeland Security.

The main government's portal for Preparedness/Emergency Planning Information provided by DHS

http://www.dhs.gov http://www.ready.gov/

2. U.S. Department of State.

Preparedness/emergency planning information provided by the U.S. Department of State can be found at: http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/emergencies/emergencies_1212.html

3. The Department of Health and Human Services

This site has links for disasters, emergencies crisis and risk management links:
http://www.hhs.gov/disasters/index.shtml

4. The Office of Emergency Management

The OEM provides preparedness/emergency planning information. Look up your state's office by starting at your state's homepage and clicking on Emergency Management. Here are the links to New Jersey and New York's.
http://www.state.nj.us/njoem/
http://www.nyc.gov/html/oem/html/home/home.shtml

5. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The CDC offers information to help prepare for and respond to public health emergencies. Go to:
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/

6. FEMA

You can also download the Preparedness/Emergency Planning Information provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency at:
http://www.fema.gov/areyouready/

7. NIOSH

Of course, NIOSH (National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health) has a list of emergency preparedness and response links:
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/emergency.html

8. Occupational Safety and Health Administration

And OSHA includes emergency situations and events in its concern for employee safety. This page links to OSHA requirements with many downloads, flowchart and eTools:
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/emergencypreparedness/index.html

Learn about the Incident Command System (ICS) with OSHA's highly interactive eTool. Here you can get to understand what ICS is and how it works and download forms to help during an incident:
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/ics/index.html

9. Public Safety Canada

This site helps families understand the risks of their region and how to prepare an emergency plan and kit:
http://getprepared.ca/index_e.asp

Conclusion

Next week, I'll look at some other websites that offer information and material for emergency preparedness, including some workbooks.

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

7 Steps of a Family Escape Plan

By Catherine Jones

Step 1: Sketch out your home's floor plan

Step 2: Mark two escape routes from each room

Step 3: Designate a meeting place safely away from the house where family members will assemble after escape

Step 4: Review the escape plan with each family member and make sure they understand it

Step 5: Post your plan on the fridge

Step 6: Post the fire department's phone number on every phone in the house

Step 7: Conduct family fire drills twice a year and vary them so that alternative escape routes are used

MEMBER REPLY

Pallet Jack Advice

Read your archived article on the pallet jack (August 8, 2006) as we have them in our facilities, and provide training for those that operate the vehicle.

One item that we also suggest, is when backing up to, check the area and to walk in the direction of travel; do not walk backwards more than a couple of steps, before proceeding to face the direction of travel and stand to the side of the handle.

David R. Schultz, Ergonomics Coordinator/Union Safety Rep
Local 838, UAW
John Deere Engine Works
Waterloo, Iowa

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