Chapter 15: Prevent Accidents and
Emergencies
1. What is a workplace emergency?
Answer: Workplace emergency is an unexpected situation in the
workplace that needs immediate attention and action. This emergency
can include events like natural disasters, fire emergency, medical
emergency or chemical spills. Effective emergency plans and training are
essential to manage this type of emergency for the safety of employees
and the visitors.
2. How do you protect yourself, your employees, and your
business?
Answer: To protect yourself, employees and your business during a
workplace emergency are –
Follow the organization policies and guidelines
Only properly trained and certified professionals can take decisions
beyond the organization policies and guidelines.
Provide medical help to the injured only if you are certified to
provide the necessary aid.
Follow the instructions of senior staff who are trained to handle
particular situations.
3. What is an emergency action plan?
Answer: An emergency action plan is a written plan that describes how to
handle different kinds of emergency situations at the workplace. This
emergency action plan helps the employee to understand how to act
when the emergency is there.
4. What should your emergency action plan include?
Answer: The emergency action plan includes first aid resources,
evacuation routes, role and responsibilities of employees, assembly
points, emergency contact information etc.
5. How do you develop an evacuation policy and procedures?
Answer: To develop the general evacuation policy and procedures are –
Leave the premises immediately and start moving towards the
nearest emergency exit.
Guid the visitors to the emergency exits.
Assist the person with disability to move towards the emergency
exit.
You may carry your hand held belongings.
Do not use elevators to avoid overcrowding
Go to the emergency assembly area.
6. How do you establish evacuation routes and exits?
Answer: To establish evacuation routes and exits follow the following
steps
Identify Safe Routes
Ensure that routes are accessible to everyone
Use visible signs to indicate exit routes and exits
Train all the employees for understanding the evacuation
procedures.
Do a mock drill
7. What are the various types of fire extinguisher and their
extinguishing material?
Answer: There are basically four different types of fire extinguisher –
Class A Material: Materials such as wood, cloth and paper.
Class B Material: All liquid, grease and gas related materials
Class C Material: Include electrical materials and equipment.
Class D Material: Include potassium, magnesium and sodium.
8. What are the steps for operating a fire extinguisher in case of a
fire emergency.
Answer: The steps for operate fire extinguisher are –
Step 1: Identify the safety pin of fire extinguisher
Step 2: Break the seal and pull the safety pin
Step 3: Use the fire extinguisher
Step 4: Sweep it from side to side
9. Compare the different types of fire extinguisher.
Answer: The suitable type of fire extinguisher are –
Class A Material: Water CO2 extinguisher, Mechanical foam
extinguisher and ABC dry powder extinguisher.
Class B Material: Dry chemical powder extinguisher, Carbon
dioxide extinguisher, Mechanical foam extinguisher and ABC dry
powder extinguisher.
Class C Material: Dry chemical powder extinguisher, Carbon
dioxide extinguisher and ABC dry powder extinguisher.
Class D Material: Dry chemical powder extinguisher and ABC dry
powder extinguisher.
10. List the different classes of fire.
Answer: There is four different types of fire classifications –
Class A Material: Materials such as wood, cloth and paper.
Class B Material: All liquid, grease and gas related materials
Class C Material: Include electrical materials and equipment.
Class D Material: Include potassium, magnesium and sodium.
11. List out electrical rescue techniques.
Answer: Electrical rescue techniques are –
Turn off the power
Use non conductive tools or wood
Call 108 as soon as possible
Visually examine victims, perform CPR if necessary
Do not touch the victim
Provide first aid
12. What is the first aid for electrical emergencies?
Answer: The first aid for electrical emergencies are –
A victim may require Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
If victim is breathing then give first aid for injuries and treat for
stock
If physician attending the victim must have detailed information
13. What is an accident?
Answer – An accident is an unplanned, uncontrolled, or unforeseen event
resulting in injury or harm to people and damages to goods. For example,
a person falling down and getting injured or a glassware item that broke
upon being knocked over.
14. What is an emergency?
Answer – An emergency is a serious or crisis situation that needs
immediate attention and action. For example, a customer having a heart
attack or a sudden outbreak of fire in your organisation needs immediate
attention.
15. What are the different types of accidents in any organisation?
Answer – The following are some of the commonly occurring accidents in
organisations:
Trip and Fall
Slip and Fall
Injuries caused by escalators or elevators (or lifts)
Accidents due to Falling of Goods
Accidents due to Moving Objects
16. Who to handle accidents?
Answer – In case of an injury to a colleague due to an accident, do the
following.
Attend to the Injured Person Immediately
Inform your supervisor.
Assist your Supervisor
17. What are the general evacuation procedures?
Answer – Each organisation has its own evacuation procedures as listed
in its policies. You should be aware of these procedures and follow them.
Leave the premises immediately and start moving towards the
nearest emergency exit.
Guide your customers to the emergency exits.
If possible, assist the person with a disability to move towards the
emergency exit.
Do not use the escalators or elevators (lifts) to avoid overcrowding.
Go to the emergency assembly area.
18. What is a fire extinguisher? What are the different types?
Answer – A fire extinguisher is a protection device used to extinguish
fires. It is a cylindrical pressure vessel containing an agent that can be
discharged to extinguish a fire. There are four different types of fire
extinguisher.
Class A Material: materials such as wood, cloth, and paper, which
won’t ignite on their own but will continue to burn once exposed to a
heat source.
Class B Material: all liquid, grease, and gas materials that burn
when exposed to ignition sources.
Class C Material: electrical materials and equipment. These
materials cause fires very quickly and present a serious risk of arc
flash.
Class D Material: any materials that are volatile and able to
quickly ignite, such as magnesium, potassium, and sodium.
19. What is CPR?
Answer – A victim may require cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). CPR
can save a life during cardiac arrest, when the heart stops beating.
Necessary steps you have to take if any emergency is there:
If the victim is breathing and has a heartbeat, give first aid for
injuries and treat for shock.
Ensure the victim gets medical care as soon as possible.
The physician attending the victim must have detailed information
to properly diagnose and care for the victim.