Working in remote places is pretty common for many businesses, like in the construction industry. While some employees work from the office, others are sent to remote areas to complete their assignments. Most travel in company vehicles and return home at the day’s or project’s end. Remote working is fun when there are resources, but it has its challenges.
One main challenge is isolation, mainly when working miles from the office. Other challenges include poor or no communication and safety concerns. These risks can affect the worker’s ability to deliver well, so they should be solved with an emergency plan.
A remote work emergency plan outlines and solves remote workers’ possible issues. It provides quick solutions so employees have a great time, even when working far away. This guide discusses the top main things the emergency plan should include. Keep reading.
1. Risk Assessment
Risk assessment is the first thing to add to your emergency response for remote work locations. Usually, risk assessment helps you know the problems employees face in remote areas. When you know of the risks, it becomes easier to create great solutions. Some of the dangers which employees in remote regions face include:
The risks experienced depend on the work done and the location. Before assigning remote workers, you should first assess risks in the area. You can see the risks by physically visiting the area to study it. You can then ask the people around you to know the risks. Workers working in the same areas can also be a great source of information. If you can, hire a risk assessment team to outline the possible risks your remote workers may face.
2. Risk Management Plan
Now that you know the possible risks, you can also include ways of managing the risks in your emergency plan. When creating this, you should at least provide a solution to all the identified risks. Besides, you should devise contingency plans for workers to consider if the first method fails. The risk management plan may also include training and equipping your workers. Training gives your remote workers knowledge of where they will be working.
3. Remote Area Emergency Plan
Remote area emergency plans involve providing solutions when a threat happens. It outlines how remote workers can get quick help if something happens. While creating this plan, you should first understand the remote area where the workers will be. You should know how close the police station and emergency response center are.
However, you should know that the emergency response can be slow compared to urban areas. The emergency rescue team in rural areas may also have less equipment. Therefore, you may visit them to learn what tools they have and how fast they can attend to your remote workers in case an unfortunate event happens. You should also collect their contact numbers for easy communication when need be.
4. Personal Emergency Kit
An emergency kit is worth adding to your remote work emergency plan. Each remote worker should have a kit with the tools they may need in case of a threat. The main things to keep in a kit include a whistle, communication devices, local maps, and some drugs. The kit allows one to handle any pain or risks they experience, even when waiting for medical help.
5. Communication Plan
Communication is one of the most common challenges for people working in remote areas. This problem mostly happens because of poor signals and transmissions. The issue may make it hard for them to contest each other or even to seek help when they experience problems. To manage this problem, including a communication plan in your remote emergency plan is essential.
This element should include the most common methods of communication that remote workers should use. It can also involve giving remote workers special emergency phones for emergencies. Find out the communications issues your team may face and develop solutions.
6. Resource Availability
Does your remote work team have all the resources? In many cases, people working in rural areas may lack the right tools. To solve this problem, you should ensure the workers have all the necessary tools and equipment to make work easier. For instance, they should have well-functional engines for backup energy. Drilling tools should all be available if the job involves drilling. Also, the workers should have the proper safety gear. Find all the resources the workers will need to work in remote areas.
7. Evacuation
Lastly, you may include an evacuation section in your remote work emergency plan. This section should discuss how you will get the remote workers from the site in case of a hazard. To do this, you should inform the workers of the main assembly points. You should create clear walk paths and train workers on what to do while waiting for evacuation.
Conclusion
A remote work emergency plan helps in planning. It sets clear guidelines for what can happen when workers are in remote areas and how they can get help. You should, therefore, be careful when creating it to avoid missing important points. Also, you should know all the risks your remote workers may face before you release them. Find solutions for them as well. This way, the workers will be safe and may be more productive.