What is an emergency?

Your workplace will have guidelines and procedures in place for dealing with emergency situations.  An emergency is an event (actual or imminent) which:

1.  in any way endangers, or threatens to endanger, the safety or health of any person
2. destroys or damages, or threatens to destroy or damage, any property.

Types of emergencies

Emergencies can include such things as:

1. bomb threats
2. chemical or biological substance threats
3. threatening or aggressive people
4. accidents
5. armed/unarmed robbery
6. fire
7. natural disasters.

All employers must develop procedures for dealing with emergencies that may arise while you are at work and doing work.  Your employer must ensure that the procedures are appropriate to your workplace. 

When an emergency occurs, it is too late to decide who needs to do what, what assistance is available, and what emergency response is needed.  These procedures are in place to help you to handle emergency situations.  It is very important that you follow the workplace procedures which are in place within your own role and responsibilities

Steps in dealing with an emergency

If first at the scene of an emergency, remember the three key steps ‘AAA’:

1. ASSESS the situation for immediate dangers to your safety and take appropriate steps
   
2. ALERT the people around you, and the appropriate emergency services (phone 000)
   
3. ASSIST any person in immediate danger if safe to do so.
   

 Then you can:

4.   Contain or deal with the emergency only if safe to do so

5.   Evacuate to a safe location (if necessary)

6.   Notify your supervisor or other relevant person(s)

7.   Report the emergency or incident.