After many years of mild hurricane seasons, 2020 has proven to be extraordinarily active, resulting in widespread damage, deaths and injuries. There are steps employers can and should take to mitigate the consequences of these storms, as well as other natural and manmade disasters that can impact business operations any time of the year.
In the wake of Hurricane Laura, attorneys at the law firm of Seyfarth Shaw offer a primer on how employers should prepare for natural disasters and other emergencies, what actions they should take while one is happening, and how they should clean up and resume business once it has passed.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Standards that are part of regulations issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), all workplaces with more than 10 employees are required to develop a written Emergency Action Plan (EAP) to identify and coordinate necessary employer and employee actions during an emergency.