Emergency Notification Systems and Crisis Communication – Blog

Manufacturers have some of the most stringent worker safety standards of any industry. The government regulations are rigorous, including those under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Given the inherent risks and dangers within manufacturing facilities – from electrical to chemical to nuclear – safety managers must have a crisis communication solution and company mass notification system that is purpose-built to save lives and prevent injuries.

When was the last time you exercised your mass notification system? Six months ago? A year? Since no two organizations are exactly the same, it’s up to you to discover the best interval for testing your emergency notification system (ENS). Taking a look at how other organizations test their systems; however, can be quite helpful when making decisions regarding your emergency response.

It’s that time of the year again when malls, shopping centers, and grocery stores are packed with customers shopping for gifts and goodies. The holiday season is a time that fills our hearts with joy to be around our friends and family; however, it can also have the potential to increase the risks of emergency situations due to the stress and emotions of the holiday season. The holidays are known for being a very stressful time. Sometimes this stress can be taken out on the people closest to you. For this reason, workplace violence increases during the months of November and December. Not only do organizations have an obligation to their employees, but they must also be concerned with their customers while on their property.

During the month of October, we celebrate Crime Prevention Month with the National Crime Prevention Council (CPC). No matter your age, your walk of life, or the industry you’re involved, we should all be working together to help prevent crime wherever and whenever possible. Awareness and preparation are so important when it comes to protecting yourself and the people around you. Crime prevention is about keeping everyone safe. As the CPC says, “It helps ensure individuals live up to their potential no matter their way of life or where they live. It’s all about helping people keep themselves, their families, and their communities safe from crime.” 

We’ve been seeing an increase in violence throughout the United States over the last decade. These acts of violence are happening everywhere. We’ve seen these incidents in schools, places of worship, and places of work. These are all places we go expecting to be safe from harm or injury. If there is an emergency, we expect to be notified along with what procedures we should take to stay out of harm’s way. Unfortunately, occurrences of workplace violence are increasing. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), each year there are 2 million reports of workers having been a victim of workplace violence. That’s excluding those who didn’t report their incident occurring.

The U.S. has experienced its fair share of environmental emergencies this year; peaking in the Spring and Summer. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon with hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, flash flooding, high winds, and volcanic eruptions still being experienced - and not to mention winter weather on the horizon. After speaking with numerous organizations in these affected areas, I’ve been exposed to the unique needs each organization has when weather and other environmental events impact their operations and livelihood - and how having a fast and reliable mass notification system like Omnilert helps them through the planning, response, and recovery phases of an emergency.