Uh-oh. It’s that dreaded time again: revisiting your safety procedures. As an owner or leader of your business, you know it’s important to keep your people safe but danger can feel so distant. It seems like an active shooter threat will never happen to your place of business. But… if you’re honest with yourself, you know you need an office lockdown protocol in place, just to be safe.
Does this feel familiar? We get that. Safety procedures can be boring. But you know what? They do matter. Do you want to keep yourself and those you are responsible for safe? Do you want to be prepared in an emergency lockdown? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these, listen up.
Office lockdown protocol, do it. It’s important, especially at work, where you spend most of your time. Don’t be caught unprepared.
Why?
If you are stuck at work in an active shooter emergency with no plan, it will end badly. You need to prepare and that involves research. Contacting police, and safety consultants, installing security software, etc. are all aspects of preparing.
You should also have the plan ready for everyone to read and memorize. According to Lockdown Procedures for the Workplace: Security Officer Guide – NITA, you should prepare your safety plan and have a way of distributing it (and this includes office lockdown protocol!). “For example, it’s a good idea to email the lockdown procedures to everyone in the office and to have hard copies on hand for department heads…practice lockdown procedures so that everyone knows exactly what to do in the event of an emergency…have unplanned lockdown drills.”
Convinced yet? Here are reasons why you should prepare: 1) It can save a life. 2) It can create a trusting environment where
employees feel empowered (according to expert in the field, Jameson Ritter). 3) It could even deter or slow down a threat from proceeding.
Office Lockdown Protocol
According to Shelter in Place and Lockdown (a.k.a. Secure in Place) | Campus Safety | Bates College by Bates College, this
bulleted list can be followed for lockdown situations:
- Remain calm
- Resist the urge to go outside and “check it out”.
- Once inside, find an interior room and lock or barricade the doors.
- Turn off lights, silence phones, close blinds, and move away from windows. This avoids creating indicators that the intruder may see or hear to detect people.
- Await further instructions.
- Do not leave until an “all clear” is received.
Follow OSHA
Still, need convincing? The U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in their article How to Plan for Workplace Emergencies and Evacuations, notes on what must be included in an emergency action plan for office lockdown protocol:
- A method for reporting emergencies
- An evacuation policy and procedure
- Emergency escape procedures and route assignments (floor plans, maps, and safe areas)
- Names, titles, departments, and telephone numbers of individuals both within and outside your company to contact for additional information
- Procedures for employees who remain to perform operations that cannot be shut down for every emergency
- Rescue and medical duties for any workers designated to perform them.
These can work for more than a lockdown scenario. They are the basis for any emergency.
Call Alert Protection Services
Did you know that app-based notification technology utilized by APS acts as a life safety device in three critical ways:
- They enhance employee communication during a crisis.
- They account for and communicate with employees.
- They empower employees to initiate notifications.
- They decrease delays in notifying emergency services.
Alert Protection Services’ products check every box, making it the premiere product in app-based emergency notification technology. Just a little preparation could go a long way, especially when it comes to seconds in saving lives. With Alert Protection Services, you will have peace knowing that you’ve done all you can to protect yourself and your people. Here are your next steps: 1) Contact Alert Protection Services. 2) Discuss with us your business’ safety needs in a consultation. 3) Your safety plan with our products will empower you and your people to take action in an emergency and prevent threats. Contact Us Today.
Sources:
Shelter in Place and Lockdown (a.k.a. Secure in Place) | Campus Safety | Bates College
How to Plan for Workplace Emergencies and Evacuations
Lockdown Procedures for the Workplace: Security Officer Guide – NITA
The Critical Role of Rapid Notification and Communication in Crisis Management: App-Based Solutions as Life Safety Devices
