How Do You Protect Your Business in the Event of an Earthquake? Be Prepared

How Do You Protect Your Business in the Event of an Earthquake? Be Prepared

Humanity has accomplished some astonishing acts throughout its lifespan. Still, we remain at the mercy of Mother Nature and the brutalities of life despite how awe-inspiringly high we soar in its skies or breathtakingly deep we delve into its waters. 

The truth is it will never be more than a breath away from having our lives shaken to their core. Earth has no shortage of ways to make this happen, but humanity has developed a talent for adaptation. 

Hurricanes, volcanoes, tornados, we have learned how to endure them all and more, continuing to perfect them with every natural disaster that ripples across our planet. 

Don’t Worry, NZ Survivor is Here to Help.

Today we will chat about one type of disaster in particular: earthquakes, and how important it is for you and your business to be prepared for them when they strike. The Earth’s crust consists of many plates of rock called tectonic plates, which can cause massive vibrations along its surface. 

While there are roughly 50 earthquakes a day that go almost entirely unnoticed by the world existing atop it, many possess the ability to ruin the day of entire countries completely. Together we will discuss the might and dangers of Earthquakes before discovering what measures we can take to make sure you, your employees, and your business have the best chances during one of these potential tragedies.

Earthquakes In New Zealand

Being on the very cusp of the Ring of Fire, world-renowned for its volcanic and seismic proclivities, nearly circling the Pacific Ocean, New Zealand is very familiar with Earthquakes around 14,000 quakes recorded by seismographs a year. 

Even with only roughly 150 of them with the strength enough to be felt, it is still a staggering concept to know that the Earth shakes beneath our feet once every three days, no matter how subtly it may shake. 

Why We Should be Prepared

Appearing suddenly, Earthquakes allow very little to no time at all to anticipate or prepare for it, but that is just one of many reasons Earthquakes can be so devastating. 

Along with toppling buildings and level cities, the vibrations caused by the tectonic movement create massive waves across the oceans that smash the coastlines of countries hundreds and possibly even thousands of miles away. Capable of penetrating up to 10 miles inland, tsunamis are listed among some of the most devastating natural disasters, and the most common source is earthquakes.

The frequency of earthquakes in New Zealand has made it necessary for businesses to have emergency plans to protect their businesses and employees. Here is what you should know.

5 Facts you should Know When Preparing

Earthquakes are not directly destructive, but the vibrations are capable of dropping buildings and upturning cities. In 2015 saw the beginning of an era in making New Zealand safer in the event of an emergency. 

1.) New Building Standards 

By changing the New Building Standard (NBS) of seismic capacity to 33% and having buildings that fail undergo a retrofit design solution, New Zealand has worked to reduce the effect the shaking ground has on the towering structures. 

Without collapsing buildings adding their devastation to the events of an earthquake, the number of casualties and the level of destruction we experience drops drastically. 

2.) Keep an Eye on Your Warehouses

Warehouses have the potential to be exceptionally dangerous at the best of times, and you only need to take a look around yours to see how dangerous it could be during an earthquake. 

The wide array of things typically being housed inside make it challenging to give a detailed list on how to make your warehouse, in particular, safer in the event of an earthquake, so it may be best to consult an expert if you have any doubts on how to make your warehouse more secure.

3.) Have an Emergency Plan in the event of an Earthquake

It has become a health and safety requirement for our workplaces to have an Emergency Plan for natural disasters, earthquakes being one of them. The plan should involve the entire company, including the individual emergency plans of the staff. 

Protecting the lives of you and your employees is a top priority, and having a chain of leadership involved in your emergency plan will go a long way toward achieving that goal. 

While all employees should have the necessary training, having people know they have Leaders to look for guidance in an emergency can completely change the situation’s dynamic. The plan doesn’t have to be too extensive or unnecessarily complex, but your emergency plan should be tailored to your workplace environment.

4.) Make Sure Your Supplies are Well-Stocked and Well-Maintained

The equipment is vital when discussing Emergency Planning, and Kits have almost everything you may need in one convenient place. First Aid supplies, tools, food, water, lights, and a way to communicate are all just a few of the most basic things your kit should include. 

Your plan’s needs are unique to you and your company, but experts strongly suggest that your emergency kits have at least 3 days of food for each person and three litres of water per person per day (21 litres per day for 7 days’ time in Wellington). Any of your work vehicles should have smaller versions of these kits inside, and it is essential to regularly check the expiration dates on the goods in your kits.

5.) Know What To Do When the Time Comes

Having a plan and being able to implement it when you need it are two completely separate things. When the ground begins to shake, it’s best to stay inside; going outside makes you vulnerable to falling debris and glass. 

In the few seconds you have to prepare yourself, drop, cover and hold on. If you are near a coastline, head towards higher ground. If you are near a coastline and the quake was strong enough to make it hard to stand or lasted longer than sixty seconds, head as far inland as you can or as high as you can because you are under the threat of a tsunami.

 It is Best to be Prepared Now

The commonality of earthquakes in New Zealand makes the question not “if” but “when” and NZ Survivor has dedicated time and effort to ensure that our fellow New Zealanders are safe when the next seismic event strikes. Check out our website to see which of our prefabricated kits fit your needs, or check out our Civil Defence Cabinets to make one for your home and office from scratch.
NZ Survivor also provides Civil Defence Training and Preparation services to ensure you know what to do when disaster strikes. We are New Zealand’s Choice for Civil Defence and First Aid Equipment.

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