Dive Brief:
- Officials have raised concerns about security vulnerabilities at Silicon Valley worksites following the recent shooting at YouTube's San Bruno, California, headquarters, Fortune reports. The shooter injured three people Tuesday before taking her own life.
- Silicon Valley workplaces like YouTube's normally have few security concerns, says Fortune. Employees at Facebook and Google ride bikes to meetings, and visitors are sometimes welcomed on company grounds. But the shooting has raised doubts about whether safety at these sites is adequate, says Fortune.
- Jeff Harp, a retired FBI agent and technology consultant, told Fortune that the shooting could prompt executives to increase security and make protective service personnel more visible on campuses.
Dive Insight:
Questions and concerns about safety and security are inevitable in the wake of workplace tragedies, but employers can prepare by having a well-communicated disaster preparedness plan in place.
Such plans often include escape-to-safety routes, temporary shelter locations, first-responder notification procedures, communication command centers and data recovery systems. Several public resources exist for employers looking to improve their preparedness, including those from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the American Red Cross. Local authorities can also be an asset in helping to train workers for emergency situations.
