Do you know what to do in an emergency? An emergency plan is a document that should be used as a guide on what to do in an emergency situation and contains important farm information that will help people remain safe in an emergency says New Zealand’s leading farm consultants, AgSafe NZ.
Creation of an emergency plan starts with considering what would be an emergency on your farm. Fire, flood, serious injury, injury in remote location, chemical spill, and dangers unique to your area should all be considered.
“An emergency plan is a must have for any rural business, so that if the worst does happen, you and other people on farm are prepared to handle it with minimal damage to health and safety,” says Jim Findlay, Rural Consultant for AgSafe New Zealand Ltd
For each emergency scenario you have identify:
- State what action needs to be taken.
- The equipment required.
- The location of where the equipment is stored.
- Which emergency services to call and what information to provide them.
An emergency plan is something that all workers on the farm should be made aware of and stored in a place where everyone can find it easily. It is a good idea to give and talk about the plan with everyone who will be on the farm, including children.
The plan should list contacts for family and employees, and where people can gather after a disaster to evaluate the situation and work out a response. If work is undertaken in a remote area without mobile coverage, list where landline phones can be found.
Don’t forget to give a description of the farm’s location and directions from the nearest major intersection. “By having this description ready to go means that someone who is unacquainted with the area can easily guide emergency personnel to the farm and knows where to meet up them,” adds Jim.
The plan should include a diagram of the farm so it can be used as a reference location of chemicals, fuels, equipment, and overhead and buried utilities, helicopter landing sites and GPS co-ordinates.
Make sure that all essential equipment that is needed for the farm to have power if there is a power outage or natural disaster is listed in the plan. “Take the time to teach all family members and employees on how to use the emergency equipment,” advises Jim.
Describe where important farm and personal documents are kept so they can be found easily in an emergency.
If you are looking to get your farm or rural business an emergency plan with professional advice then contact the friendly experts at AgSafe NZ.
About AgSafe:
AgSafe NZ is proudly Waikato based and understands the local farming environment. Jim Findlay has been a rural consultant involved in farm safety and systems for 35 years.
Contact AgSafe NZ Ltd:
Phone: 027-2872886
Email: jamestfindlay@gmail.com
Website: https://agsafe.nz/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgSafe-NZ-1618713161733239/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agsafenz/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/agsafe-nz
Contact MediaPA:
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