How Can HR Quickly Determine Headcount in Emergencies and Manage Ambulance Use?

Dear seniors, In order to get the exact total headcount within the minimum time during an emergency, what best practices should be adopted by the HR & ADMIN department?

Sample Policy for Company-Owned Ambulance Usage

Could anyone provide a sample policy for company-owned ambulance usage that also clarifies its use for internal and external purposes?

Regards,
Abhay

In an emergency mock drill, you can obtain headcounts through manual counting or automatic display.

Manual Count:

In your procedure, you must establish assembly points. Instruct the employees to stand in rows with a fixed number of employees in each row, for example, 10. Count the number of rows and multiply by 10 to get the total count. Conduct a gap analysis. Identify any missing employees and investigate why they did not reach the assembly point.

Automatic:

If you have punching cards or a biometric punching system, install one at the assembly point. Instruct all employees to punch in at the designated time. Utilize the server/computer to immediately obtain the headcount. This system will also provide the names of employees who did not arrive at the assembly point.

Employees who are absent should receive further training for emergency preparedness. You may share the facts of the AMRI Hospital Fire in Kolkata in Dec 11 with them.

Ambulance:

The ambulance should only be used for emergency purposes. It must be utilized daily for at least 15 minutes. Ensure the tyre pressure is adequate, the flashing lights are operational, and there are at least two security personnel with valid driving licenses on duty during all shifts. The ambulance should be equipped with an oxygen cylinder and a stretcher. The oxygen cylinder must maintain adequate pressure, have a water bowl, and the cylinder keys should be readily accessible.

I hope the above tips are helpful to you.

Thanks & Regards,

Sudhir

Dear Abhay,

In an emergency mock drill, you can obtain headcounts through manual counting or automatic display.

Manual Count

In your procedure, you must establish assembly points. Instruct the employees to stand in rows with a fixed number of employees in each row, for example, 10. Count the number of rows and multiply by 10. Conduct a gap analysis. If some employees are missing, identify them and investigate why they did not reach the assembly point.

Automatic

If you have punching cards or a biometric punching system, you can install one at the assembly point. Instruct all employees to punch in at the designated time, and you can obtain the headcount immediately from the server/computer. This method will also provide the names of those who did not reach the assembly point. Employees who remain absent should receive further training for emergency preparedness. You may share the details of the AMRI Hospital Fire in Kolkata in December 2011 as a reference.

Regarding non-staff individuals in emergencies, such as contract workers, daily wage workers, truck drivers, cleaners of suppliers, visitors, auditors, and salespersons from suppliers, it is essential to have a plan in place. In case someone, apart from the staff or on-roll personnel, escapes outside the premises by crossing the fencing or wall, preventive measures should be implemented. If such an incident occurs, a clear line of action needs to be defined.

In situations where an ambulance is required for another nearby industry, the best policy should be established to address such scenarios promptly and effectively.

If the ambulance is off-site for any reason, a preventive measure policy should be in place to avoid inconvenience at the factory site.

Hope the above suggestions are helpful to you.

Thanks & Regards,
Sudhir

@Sudhirji,

Thank you for your prompt response. Kindly provide guidance on the following:

1. Using the methods mentioned above, we can accurately determine the number of staff or employees on the payroll. However, how do we account for contract workers, daily wage workers, truck drivers, cleaners of suppliers, visitors, auditors, and salespersons from suppliers who might be present during an emergency? How can we detect if someone not on the regular staff has fled the premises by crossing the fencing or wall? What plan should be implemented to prevent such incidents, and what should be our course of action if such an event occurs?

2. If an ambulance is needed for another nearby industry, what would be the best policy to follow?

3. In the event that the ambulance is off-site for any reason, what preventive measures can be taken to avoid inconvenience at the factory site?

Regards,
Abhay

I have observed a practice in a company where access control cards are issued to truck drivers. These cards are issued to a group, and the number of people entering with the truck is recorded. The procedure then follows normally.

Issuing Access Control Cards to Contract Workers and Visitors

The company needs to issue similar cards to all contract workers and visitors. Alternatively, manual records can be maintained; however, in this case, an immediate headcount is not achievable. You would need to record the names of contract laborers and visitors who assemble at the assembly point and then reconcile with the manual registers to identify any discrepancies.

Implementing Controls for Fence Crossing

If it is possible for workers to cross the fence, then the following controls can be implemented.

Regards.

Dear Abhay, I have already replied to your earlier post; however, I am copying the information below for your reference:

Ambulance Usage Guidelines

The ambulance cannot be used for any other purpose. It should be used daily for at least 15 minutes. Ensure that the tire pressure is adequate and that the flashing light is in working condition. Additionally, there should be at least two security personnel with a permanent driving license in all shifts. The ambulance must have an oxygen cylinder and stretcher available. The oxygen cylinder should have adequate pressure, with a water bowl, and the cylinder keys should be in place.

I hope the above tips are useful to you.

Thanks & Regards,
Sudhir

Mr. Sudhir has already provided an answer to your query. Nevertheless, please refer to the attached PDF file of the 'Ambulance Policy' as a reference document and make necessary modifications according to your industry or company requirements.

Thank you, Mr. Sudhir, for your prompt response to our member's query. Keep on sharing.

Sorry for the late reply. @Raghuji, thanks for the sample policy.

@sudhirji, I read your post and understood, but my query is:

Ambulance Usage Policy Queries

Suppose the organization has an ambulance, then:

1. Can they provide it to a neighboring industry (or off-site emergency) in case of their emergency?
2. In such a case, what should be the policy regarding the driver, first-aider, after-service acceptance criteria, etc.?
3. At the same time, if any mishap happens on our site, then what should be done?

I am asking for the ambulance usage policy. Kindly guide and add inputs so that I'll be able to try to make a flawless policy.

Regards,
Abhay