Owning a startup business means having a lot of responsibilities, one of which is understanding risk management. As a business, you can never tell the odds of when a crisis can strike, so assessing early on what those risks can help you prepare. Knowing what to do and having a proper risk management system is a mark of a good business. It also enables you to lessen the impact of a bad scenario, but it could also dampen your losses.
To have an effective risk management system, one of the first things you need to do after assessing potential risks and threats is to collect all emergency contacts. Here are some to get you started.
Your Employee’s Emergency Contacts
In the event of any unfortunate event or mishap in the workplace, your employees’ welfare is one of the top priorities. Have a list of each employee’s contact information and one or two people as their emergency contacts. This way, they can still be reached if something happens that concerns them. Normally, the HR department would have this information, but having it on a ready list will also help. Especially if you have employees with compromised immune systems, being vigilant when it comes to understanding their needs and knowing who to contact will help.
Repair Services
Offices and businesses have a lot of equipment, appliances, and items that see a lot of use. Eventually, some of these things break, and the last thing you want is to have your operations disturbed because of it. That’s why it’s crucial to have the phone numbers of emergency repair services for ventilation, electricity, or plumbing. Being personally familiar with a repairperson you can call in moments like this can also help.
The Local Police Department
While 911 may be the default emergency hotline, having your area’s police department hotline is still important. In the event of an altercation, crime, or threat to the people in your office, one of the more effective ways to deal with it is through the hands of police officers. It’s much better to let trained police officers deal with criminal situations than to try to negotiate with suspects on your own.
The Fire Department
Of course, this number is most useful when a fire occurs. If you have a warehouse or production line with fire hazards, the fire department should be on the top of your list. But even if you’re running a regular office without many fire-hazards, it’s still crucial to have the number of the fire department ready. There are fire alarms in most (if not all) commercial buildings, but staying vigilant and always ready is better than scrambling when a fire starts.
Industry-related Business Providers
Depending on your industry, your business might be using third-party services. In such a situation, it’s only sensible to have the contact information of your service provider ready. It could be a licensed software that offers customer support or a piece of industrial equipment that requires a particular skill set. Whatever it is, if anything were to happen to the utility or service you were using, having their number ready will save your business precious minutes that can be wasted if an important utility stops functioning.
Your Internet Service Provider
As mentioned before, you always want your business providers to be ready. And perhaps one of the most important services nowadays, and one that merits its own point here, is internet service. All businesses use the internet to some extent, making it a priority to always be in touch with your ISP. Bad internet service can severely affect your business operations, and you want to have that addressed as soon as possible.
The Nearest Hospital
Workplace accidents really do happen. Whether it’s a sprained ankle in the office, an unexpected incident in a factory, or a physical injury due to a high-risk job, it’s best to have the contact information of hospitals nearest your location in the case of such urgent matters. It helps if you have a health clinic within the building for first aid, but when matters turn worse, a quick call to the emergency ward is your best bet at saving your employee.
Always Be Prepared
This quick list of numbers you need to have isn’t the end-all, be-all of business safety. It’s just the tip of the iceberg, as you always need to be on the lookout to know what to prepare for. Ultimately, the most valuable thing to keep in mind is to be vigilant and always prepared, even in times of duress.
