Many U.S. workers feel that their workplaces are not well prepared for emergencies such as extreme weather or health crises, according to a recent survey commissioned by Cintas Corporation.
The poll of more than 2,000 employed adults found that fewer than one in three (31 percent) believe their workplace is proactive about emergency preparedness.
- More than three-quarters (76 percent) say their workplace has not conducted emergency drills in preparation of weather-related disasters
- Less than 20 percent (18 percent) indicate their workplace has provided training about medical emergencies such as diabetic insulin reactions, strokes and choking
- Only 43 percent say their workplace has an emergency response plan in place
- Just 19 percent note that their workplace has asked employees to be part of an emergency response team
“Since many employed adults spend the majority of their waking hours in the workplace, organizations need to be prepared to handle injuries, health emergencies or inclement weather with both proactive and reactive solutions,” said Jamie Samide, Senior Director of Marketing, Cintas. “However, our survey highlights a gaping hole in organizational preparedness.”
Although many workplaces have the proper reactive solutions in place, like first-aid cabinets, employee education and regular maintenance of items are lacking:
- 94 percent of employed U.S. adults indicate their workplace has a dedicated first-aid kit or cabinet on site, but 51 percent do not know where it is located
- 58 percent of employees say their workplace’s first aid kit or cabinet is not kept stocked with necessary items
Samide said working with a safety provider to establish emergency plans, conduct training, ensure correct placement of response tools and ongoing maintenance of these items will make employees better suited to prevent emergencies from occurring, and better prepared to respond when an emergency unfortunately occurs.
Cintas provides more information on the subject at: www.cintas.com/firstaidsafety.
