Organisations Newsletter 4: Hazard Inventories and Reducing Risk

This is the fourth of four e-mails prior to the ShakeOut and the topic for today is

HAZARD INVENTORIES AND REDUCING EXPOSURE TO RISK

Reducing exposure to risk is perhaps the most important aspect of preparation for an earthquake. Most buildings will remain standing (and if you are in part of a building that collapses there is nothing that you can do about it .... just like meeting a car coming towards you on the wrong side of the road). Most people will be hurt by things inside the building that move about. Most of these things can be secured with relative ease. If people are hit by flying stuff they may be injured, and no help will be available. This is a scary situation, but it is one that can be, for the most part, fixed.

Using staff to identify hazards in the workplace has the effect of providing an inventory and also teaching staff what to look for in their own homes. It is a great opportunity to discuss the reasons for securing some objects and not others.

Workspaces should be tidy and clutter free. Some (many?) of our workplaces fall short of this standard and that is a hazard.

Staff could be encouraged to look at the two house oriented websites below and make the connections to their workplaces.

http://www.eq-iq.org.nz/eq-intro/eq-beprep/eq-beprep-before/eq-beprep-before-qs-over.aspx

http://www.getthru.govt.nz/web/GetThru.nsf/web/BOWN-7GY5TP?OpenDocument

COMMUNITY SHAKEOUT EVENTS

Meet the geoscientist evenings will help you associate the risk of earthquake with the vast scientific background (3 events):

Monday 14 September. Club Buller (between Queen St and Russel St, formerly the Buller Workingmen's Club), Westport, 7.00pm.
Mauri McSaveney and Rob Langridge speaking.

Tuesday 15 September. Kingsgate Hotel, Greymouth, 7.30pm.
Mauri McSaveney and Rob Langridge speaking.

Wednesday 16 September. Beachfront Hotel, Hokitika, 7.30pm.
Mauri McSaveney and Rob Langridge speaking.

Westland

"A day at the beach" (DOC) incorporates some fun 'earthquake' events such as a 'tsurf the tsunami' body boarding display at 4.30pm on Hokitika Beach and a Shake, Rattle and Roll Wild Night at Stumpers, Revell Street from 6.00pm. (Checkout the whitebait realy on Weld Street at 3.30pm too)

Kowhitirangi Valley Earthquake Field Trip, Saturday 19 September 9.30am - 6.00pm, cost $10, contact Westland District Council to book a place (limited to 30).

Best wishes for your ShakeOut. Dont forget to get some photos or videos and add them to the website to share with others

Chris Manuel
West Coast ShakeOut Coordinator
www.shakeout.org.nz

The information in this e-mail is the opinion of the author, after significant research. If you are making decisions based upon it, please take the time to follow the links and check up on the details that will affect your decision. Copies of this and previous e-mails will be available shortly on the website http://www.shakeout.org.nz, so if you have only just registered you can see what you have missed.