Worksafe Technologies - Earthquake Preparedness Okay, so it’s the start of another year and while you probably didn’t make earthquake preparedness your New Year’s resolution, the truth is that utilizing worksafe technologies for your business should be one of your goals in 2011. It’s not just the start of a new year, it’s also the beginning of a new decade and that should provide the impetus you need to ensure your equipment is secured and your work space is safer for your employees. And sooner rather than later would be better. We probably sound like a broken record, but the reality is that if your business is located in an earthquake zone you can’t afford to continue procrastinating about earthquake preparedness. It will do you no good if you keep putting it off and then you’re suddenly rocked by an earthquake. If that happens and you’ve done nothing about seismic mitigation in your business, you might as well stick a fork in it because there may be nothing left afterwards. And that’s no exaggeration. Think about it. If an earthquake knocked out all your equipment, computers and everything that you need to operate on a daily basis, what would happen to your business? At the very least it would set you back and at worst it could be the death knell. To avoid that possibility, it would be in your best interests to look into earthquake preparedness worksafe technologies that have been developed specifically with the needs of businesses in mind. Worksafe Technologies There are state-of-the-art fastening programs available for every work environment from offices, clean rooms and laboratories, to data centers and warehouses. Fastening systems typically consist of a combination of flexible nylon straps and quick-

release buckles or ratchet straps and other fastening techniques that are designed to secure equipment. The strategy is to secure items to prevent them from toppling over and crashing during an earthquake. In an office setting, tall, top-heavy pieces of furniture, file cabinets, computers, desktop appliances, wall hangings and even smaller breakables on shelves need to be fastened down. In labs, bigger, more expensive equipment such as centrifuges, fume hoods and bio safety cabinets (BSC) must be secured to wall studs or the floor, and the same goes for things like LAN cabinets and communication equipment racks in data centers.

Apart from giving you and your staff peace of mind by knowing that equipment is secured, another major benefit of undertaking a fastening program is that it also helps prevent potential injuries to employees, who can be hurt by falling items. The majority of personal injuries that occur in an earthquake are caused by falling objects and that ought to send up red flags for any business owner who has been lackadaisical about earthquake preparedness. And it doesn’t matter if your business is large or small; there are worksafe technologies for any size operation. A site survey and evaluation will determine what’s best for yours. Earthquakes are unpredictable, so being prepared makes good business sense. If your work environment isn’t secured, you could suffer damages or loss, as well as risk injuries to your employees, so the best plan of attack is to take action well ahead of time before it’s too late. Seismic Protection Products and Services If your business is in an earthquake zone don’t put off earthquake preparedness any longer. Look into which worksafe technologies will work best for your situation and start getting prepared. Do it today.