An Employee Emergency Contact Form is a standardized document used by Employers to obtain the contact information from their employees of those individuals who should be contacted in an emergency or a traumatic event.
For example:
If an employee is sick suffers an injury or any other accident in the workplace that will require that they be taken to an emergency room, the emergency contacts provided by the employee will be contacted and informed of the unfortunate event.
Free Templates
Ensure the safety and well-being of your employees with our collection of free employee emergency contact form templates, available in both Word and PDF formats. In times of crisis or emergency, having up-to-date and easily accessible employee contact information is crucial. Our professionally designed templates provide a convenient and organized way to gather essential details such as emergency contacts, medical information, and special instructions. Download our free employee emergency contact form templates to prioritize employee safety and be prepared for any unforeseen situations.
Importance of an Employee Emergency Contact Form
Employee emergency contact forms are crucial, and every employer must have one for each of their employees for use in case of an emergency. For most employers, it is a standard practice to have each of their employees fill out an emergency contact information form whether the job is risky or not.
Here are reasons why an employee emergency contact form is significant:
Medical issues
An employee emergency contact form is necessary as some employees may not feel comfortable disclosing their personal health information with their employers, in which case, sharing the contact information of their friends or close confidants is in the best interest of both the employee and the employer in case an emergency arises.
Workplace injuries
Regardless of the nature of work, employees need to provide their emergency contacts. Although some workplaces do not have hazards that may cause harm to the employee, accidents may still occur, and the employee’s emergency contact persons may need to be informed of the event that has transpired.
Logistical necessity
Employers have an ethical obligation to contact the employee’s emergency contact persons and inform them of any event that may have transpired in the workplace requiring the employee to be taken to an emergency room. The emergency contact person may be required to come and assist the employee get to a hospital or be present when the employee is being moved to the hospital, depending on the nature of the emergency.
No response from employee
If the employee fails to show up to work and is not responding to calls, messages, and emails sent to them by their employer or supervisor, the employer may use the employee emergency contact form to contact the employee’s emergency contact persons to find out why they are not responding.
Death of the employee
Although this rarely happens, when it does, the employer must contact the employee’s emergency contact persons to inform them of the unfortunate event.
Liability Protection for Employer
Having an employee fill out an employee emergency contact information form does not impact future liability, should there be an emergency at the workplace. The question of liability is usually determined by several things such as the statute, employee conduct and employer conduct, and contractual agreements between the employer and the employee.
As an employer, it is essential to reach out to an employee’s emergency contacts and inform them of any unfortunate event that may have happened to the employee. Regardless of the type of accident or emergency, it is an ethical responsibility to keep them informed. Of course, doing this does not imply that you are admitting to being responsible for what has transpired, but it is a show of courtesy and, in some cases, a legal obligation.
Components of Employee Emergency Contact Form
There are a few basic components that are necessary for any employee emergency contact form to be considered proper and professional as well as credible.
An employee emergency contact form should have the following key components:
- The employee’s name and his/her department: It is recommended to include the employee’s full names and their date of birth and current age.
- Employee personal contact information: Include the employee’s address, phone number, email address, and alternative phone number.
- Emergency contact information: This includes the name of the contact person, their address, their relationship with the employee, their workplace, and housing contact on the emergency contact form.
- Employee’s medical contact information: This includes the name of the employee’s doctor and office number as well as their after-hours office numbers. In this section, the employee should mention any allergies or other medical issues that they have and how to treat such cases in the event of an emergency.
Tips to Keep an Employee Emergency Contact Form
There are different ways of obtaining an employee’s emergency contact information. Regardless of the method used to collect the information, however, how the information is stored and retrieved during emergencies is all that matters.
Here are some tips on how to collect and keep the employee’s emergency contact information:
Collecting the information while hiring
It is recommended that employers have new employees complete an employee emergency contact form while onboarding them. It is important to do this since medical emergencies can happen any time, and having emergency contact may come in handy.
Constant update of the data
Having an updated list of emergency contacts for all your employees is very important. As an employer, you must ensure that the lists are constantly updated. You can do this by having the employees fill out a new form every year or after every six months.
Store data using quality software solution
The next suggestion to keep your employee’s data organized and stored safely is to use a quality software solution. There are thousands of online software that one can use to keep the information safe and easy to retrieve. By using software, you will be able to update and validate the employees’ contact information with ease. You could also have all your employees update and validate the information using the software, thereby saving you time and money.
Frequently Asked Questions
As an employer, the people you contact in case of an employee emergency are usually limited to those that are provided in the emergency contact form. However, you can contact any relative, friend, or family member depending on the nature of the emergency.
Yes, an employer can contact your emergency contacts. If you fail to show up to work and are not responding to calls, emails, or messages, or if you get into an accident, suffer an injury, illness, or any other complication that may require medical attention, the employer may contact your emergency contacts.