Reposted from Securitas Security Services, USA

Personal security awareness is essential in uncertain times. Awareness is a choice. One must choose to pay attention. Routine tasks often become just that: routine. Maintaining operative situational awareness requires real effort. Take time to focus on your responsibilities and your surroundings, even those that are most familiar. Additionally, try to avoid things that lock your focus, such as your cellphone. Things that lock your focus prevent you from maintaining active awareness. By making situational awareness part of your workday, you can reduce risks and help improve the safety of your work environment.

Be Aware of Your Surroundings

Situational awareness is a human experience defined as knowing and understanding what is happening around you, predicting how it will change with time, and being in tune with the dynamics of your environment. We practice situational awareness every day—when crossing the street, driving our cars, and making dinner in our kitchens. Situational awareness is knowing what is going on around you and staying vigilant to any changes or threats. All employees are encouraged to practice situational awareness, by always being alert to their surroundings, and to use their experience, training, and skills to assess their workplace environment on an on-going basis.

In an Emergency

In an emergency, you should always follow company security policies and protocols. Your workplace should have an emergency response plan in place, and it should include fire drills, severe weather drills, “shelter- in-place” and lockdown drills. Familiarize yourself with your company’s emergency exit plans and site evacuation alarm system. Learn the types of action plans and the response expected from employees for different types of incidents. For example, the action required for a reported fire may be different from that for a bomb threat. Find out

if there is a rally point outside the building for emergencies requiring evacuation. If there is a rally point, it is recommended that an evacuation drill be practiced annually to make sure everyone knows what to do and where to go if confronted with an emergency.

Education is key. Learn what to do in the event of an emergency before there is one. Make sure you understand the plan of action for different circumstances in your workplace for yourself and others. Lack of knowledge is not an excuse for poor job performance.

All employees should educate themselves about any potential hazards that their environment or actions can pose to themselves or others. Ensure that you are up-to- date with the systems, processes, and procedures of your work environment, and that you feel confident about what to do in any situation. Make sure your workplace has an Emergency Plan and ensure everyone knows what they is expected in an emergency. Develop a notification system.

• Look for the two nearest exits anywhere you go. Have an escape path in mind.
  
• Understand the plans for individuals with disabilities or other access and functional needs.
• Account for personnel and guests.
• Coordinate preparation with existing plans.
• Train employees to recognize and report concerns.
• Always listen to the instructions of emergency personnel, if applicable.

Use the SLAM technique:

• Stop: Observe your surroundings and become aware of what is going on around you.
• Look: Pay attention to what you see and notice whether anything looks unusual or out of place. Take note and report anything that looks unsafe or unusual.
• Assess: If you think you have identified a potential threat, decide what action to take. Report anything that looks unsafe or unusual.
• Manage: If you feel unsafe at any time, stop. Tell your coworkers and immediately report to your supervisor. If you have solutions that would help improve the safety of yourself and others in your workplace, alert your supervisor.

Prioritizing in an Emergency

In an emergency, life safety is always the first priority. Your emergency plan should also have protective actions for life safety.

Protective actions for life safety include:

• Evacuation
• Sheltering
• Shelter-In-Place Lockdown

The second priority is the stabilization of the incident. As in any emergency, one of the keys to your safety is to remain calm. Be prepared, try to keep calm, and act quickly based on your training.

For more information on this and other security related topics, visit the Securitas Safety Awareness Knowledge Center at: http://www.securitasinc.com/en/knowledge-center/security-and-safety-awareness-tips