Who's Ready for Emergencies?
If you already knew that Staples provides PPE and safety supplies, you're a few steps ahead of me.
Mark Cautela, PR manager for Staples.com, got in touch with me May 31 to share the results of a very interesting Staples.com survey of small-business managers and office workers about workplace health and safety. The knowledge gaps between managers and those whom they manage stood out in the survey, which was timed for release just ahead of 2012's National Safety Month in June.
Specifically, too many office workers who answered the survey were not sure what to do during an emergency. Nearly 70 percent of managers said their company has an emergency communication plan, but nearly half of the office workers weren't sure a plan exists where they work or said their company has no plan. Half of the office workers said they participate in safety drills only once every few years or never, and only 19 percent of the office workers said they believe their company is prepared for a major medical emergency. More than 70 percent of both groups said their company is somewhat or very prepared for fires, however. Although 56 percent of managers said they were either very prepared or somewhat prepared for a hazmat exposure, only 23 percent of office workers said they would know what to do.
According to Staples.com, managers were almost 50 percent more likely than non-managers to be able to locate their company's safety supplies, such as automated external defibrillators, eyewash, dust masks, and caution and wet-floor signs.
Staples provides some of this equipment, including an expanded selection of protective gloves, eye/ear/face protection, fire extinguishers, first aid supplies, and AEDs.
"Staples knows that employees are the foundation of any small business, and their health and safety is a major priority for small-business owners and managers," said Steve Bussberg, senior vice president of Staples.com. "As a trusted source for office solutions, Staples.com has expanded its safety product assortment in support of health and safety in the workplace, making it easier for small businesses to protect their employees by preparing for emergencies and preventing workplace accidents."
The survey was conducted through a third-party research company and had 412 respondents -- 208 office managers and 204 office workers -- from businesses with fewer than 50 employees.
Posted by Jerry Laws on Jun 01, 2012