Safety Tip of the Week - Emergency Action Plan Basics

Every employer is required to have an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) in writing if they have 11 or more employees. If the employer has ten or less employees (including seasonal, temporary workers and office staff), the plan can be orally communicated.

The elements of the EAP should include every realistic emergency scenario which your team may encounter in the workplace.

Depending on the industry or facility, it should consist, at a minimum of:

Extreme weather – cloud to ground lightning, tornados, snow, etc.
Fires – each area should have a designated fire extinguisher that best suits the environment
Earthquake / tsunami / natural disaster
Chemical release
Terrorism / active shooter
Medical emergencies

Employers are responsible for training all employees on the EAP. Training should be provided during new hire training for those whose jobs will be affected. Training should also be provided anytime there is a change in the EAP.

OSHA requires training on procedures to report fires or other emergencies, as well as evacuation and exit route assignments for affected personnel The onboarding process may include additional training, such as fire extinguisher, first aid and CPR, confined space and rescue, bloodborne pathogens, etc.

Employers must have an alarm system that can be heard by all employees in any area of the facility or workplace. The alarm must be tested and maintained on a regular basis and must have two distinctively different tones, one for shelter-in-place and one for evacuation.

All employees should know where the designated muster points (meeting areas) are when the alarm for an evacuation occurs. OSHA requires at least two emergency exits and every employee should be familiar with both as one exit may not be accessible during an emergency event.

Designated shelter-in-place areas are room(s) within a facility, preferably without windows. All employees, when they hear the alarm for shelter-in-place, should stop what they are doing and meet in the designated area closest to the employee, if more than one shelter area is provided.

Tips on EAP Safety
Ensure all emergency exits are clean and free on obstruction and have proper emergency lighting (test the emergency lights often, at least quarterly).

Designate who gathers timecards and sign-in sheets and ensure all employees, contractors and visitors are accounted for at the muster area(s).
Designate a person(s) to stay behind to shut down essential equipment or processes, unless the designated person is in immediate danger.
Have outside meeting locations clearly defined, "the meeting point is at the flagpole north of the facility" - consider adding a sign at this area marking it as the emergency meeting point.
Never ignore the emergency alarms and report to the designated locations immediately.
Train! Practice! Drills! Train everyone, practice often, and perform unannounced drills to evaluate the response and look for opportunities for improvement.