Emergency response - global software company

  • Emergency response

Environment Health & Safety

It is common to become complacent when managing a low risk office environment, however it is just as important to prepare for emergencies in these workplaces. Being located in high profile buildings, having large a workforce and sizable visitor counts can all subtly increase risks and add to the complexities of planning. Although the risk of an emergency occurring may still be lower than in industries typically containing more hazards; the legal, moral and financial implications for not preparing for an event are just as significant.

Purpose

We were appointed as EHS Consultant by one of the world’s leading software companies to develop a playbook template which could be used globally to help local offices implement a resilient and effective emergency response team. Prior to this project, an informal, disjointed and inconsistent global approach to implementing emergency response teams existed. Local offices had little direction when it came to recruiting and training their first aiders and fire wardens. This was leaving the company exposed to significant shortfalls should a major incident occur. For example, there were insufficient fire wardens in place and they were not well distributed across the quickly expanding offices. This meant that the workforce was not well prepared for an emergency evacuation. Failing to have sufficient teams in place to respond to such events could not only have a reputational impact for the business but also adversely affect staff motivation and jeopardise employee and visitor safety.

Outline / Scope of Works

We had provided a contract of health and safety support for the company’s offices in EMEA and it was during this process that we identified that there were gaps in the way in which emergency response teams were implemented and managed. Our knowledge of the industry and our experience in emergency response consultancy meant we were well positioned to draft the playbook. We
worked alongside the health and safety team based in the US to ensure that company values were adhered to.

Outcome / Client Benefits

The outcome of the project was a bespoke playbook which was tailored to the needs of a modern tech company. The playbook allowed for country-specific requirements while considering the dynamic and fast paced nature of the business. The playbook is flexible enough to be adopted in different countries and ensures that resilient teams can be easily be established and maintained
across the global portfolio. The playbook is currently being rolled out and we are supporting local teams to guarantee a smooth implementation.

We are also providing tailored training to offices to ensure that teams have the skills and confidence to carry out their roles. We will continue to work with the company to ensure that the emergency response teams grow proportionally with business.