What
is an emergency action plan?
An
emergency action plan describes the actions employees
should take to ensure their safety if a fire or
other emergency situation occurs. Well developed
emergency plans and proper employee training (such
that employees understand their roles and responsibilities
within the plan) will result in fewer and less severe
employee injuries and less structural damage to
the facility during emergencies. A poorly prepared
plan, likely will lead to a disorganized evacuation
or emergency response, resulting in confusion, injury,
and property damage.
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Putting
together a comprehensive emergency action plan that deals
with those issues specific to your worksite is not difficult.
It involves taking what was learned from your workplace
evaluation and describing how employees will respond
to different types of emergencies, taking into account
your specific worksite layout, structural features, and
emergency systems. Most organizations find it beneficial
to include a diverse group of representatives (management
and employees) in this planning process and to meet frequently
to review progress and allocate development tasks. The
commitment and support of all employees is critical to
the plan's success in the event of an emergency; ask for
their help in establishing and implementing your emergency
action plan.
The following two bullet points will take you to
cards within this page that give an overview of
an emergency action plan:
The next five bullet points
will take you to external pages that cover the emergency
action plan concepts in greater detail: |
| What
should an emergency action plan
contain? |
Your
planning process and site-specific emergency
action plan should address each of the
following elements:
- A description of the alarm
system to be used to notify
employees (including disabled
employees) to evacuate and/or
take other actions. The alarms
used for different actions
should be distinctive and
might include horn blasts,
sirens, or even public address
systems. [More
on Alarms]
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- An evacuation
policy, procedures, and escape
route assignments so employees
understand who is authorized
to order an evacuation, under
what conditions an evacuation
would be necessary, how to
evacuate, and what routes
to take. Evacuation procedures
often describe actions employees
should take before and while
evacuating such as shutting
windows, turning off equipment,
and closing doors behind them.
Exit
diagrams are typically
used to identify the escape
routes to be followed by employees
from each specific facility
location. 1910.38(a)(2)(i)
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- Procedures for sheltering-in-place.
- Procedures for employees
who remain on site after
the evacuation alarm sounds,
if required, before evacuating.
Employees may be required
to operate fire extinguishers
or shut down gas and/or electrical
systems and other special
equipment that could be damaged
if left operating or create
additional hazards to emergency
responders (such as releasing
hazardous materials). 1910.38(a)(2)(ii)
- Procedures to account
for employees after the
evacuation to ensure that
everyone got out. This might
include procedures for designated
employees to sweep areas,
checking offices and rest
rooms, before being the last
to leave a workplace or conducting
a roll call in the assembly
area. Many employers designate
an "evacuation warden"
to assist others in an evacuation
and to account for personnel.
1910.38(a)(2)(iii)
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- The duties, responsibilities,
and names of employees assigned
with rescue
and medical tasks. Most
small organizations rely on
local public resources such
as the local fire department
or hospital to provide these
services. 1910.38(a)(2)(iv)
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- The names, titles, departments,
and phone numbers of employees
who can be contacted for additional
information or clarification
of some aspect of the plan.
1910.38(a)(2)(vi)
- A list of key personnel
who should be contacted during
off-hours emergencies. 1910.38(a)(2)(vi)
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Although
they are not specifically required
by OSHA, you may find it helpful
to include the following in your
plan:
- The site of an alternative
communications center to be
used in the event of a fire
or explosion; and
- A secure on- or offsite
location to store originals
or duplicate copies of accounting
records, legal documents,
your employees' emergency
contact lists, and other essential
records.
Effective
plans often call for retraining
employees annually and include
drills in which employees can
practice evacuating their workplace
and gathering in the assembly
area. |
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| How
do I develop an
emergency action plan? |
A
very simple plan will suffice in offices,
small retail shops, and small manufacturing
settings where there are few or no hazardous
materials or processes, and employees
evacuate when alarms sound or when notified
by public address systems. More complex
plans are required in workplaces containing
hazardous materials or workplaces where
employees fight fires, perform rescue
and medical tasks, or delay evacuation
after alarms sound to shut down critical
equipment. These more complex situations
are outside the scope of this eTool.
It is essential that the emergency action
plan developed be site specific with
respect to emergency conditions evaluated,
evacuation policies and procedures,
emergency reporting mechanisms, and
alarm systems. To assist you in your
planning, a series of checklists are
provided that identify issues that must
be considered when drafting a comprehensive
emergency action plan. An explanation
of each issue and/or examples of how
each issue might be addressed in typical
workplaces is provided.
The best emergency action plans
include employees in the planning process,
specify what employees should do during
an emergency, and ensure that employees
receive proper training for emergencies.
When you include your employees in your
planning, encourage them to offer suggestions
about potential hazards, worst-case
scenarios, and proper emergency responses.
After you develop the plan, review it
with your employees to make sure everyone
knows what to do before, during, and
after an emergency. Keep a copy of your
emergency action plan in a convenient
location where employees can get to
it, or provide a copy to all employees.
If you have 10 or fewer employees, you
may communicate your plan orally.
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Now that you have
read through the basic overview of an emergency
action plan, use the following links to explore
the emergency action plan concepts in greater
detail: |
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