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Responding To Workplace Emergencies
INFORMATION DATE 19920218 DESCRIPTION USDOL Program Highlights, Workplace Emergencies STANDARD NUMBER 1910.38(a) TOPIC Workplace Emergencies SUBJECT Responding to Workplace Emergencies ABSTRACT Employers should establish effective safety and health programs and prepare their workers to handle emergencies before they arise. U.S. Department of Labor Program Highlights Fact Sheet No. OSHA 92-19 RESPONDING TO WORKPLACE EMERGENCIES Employers should establish effective safety and health programs and prepare their workers to handle emergencies before they arise. Planning Where required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), firms with more than 10 employees must have a written emergency action plan; smaller companies may communicate their plans orally. (See 29 Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) Part 1910.38(a) for further information.) Essential to an effective emergency action plan are top management support and commitment and the involvement of all employees. Management should review plans with employees initially and whenever the plan itself, or employees responsibilities under it, change. Plans should be re-evaluated and updated periodically. Emergency procedures, including the handling of any toxic chemicals, should include: Escape procedures and escape route assignments. Special procedures for employees who perform or shut down critical plant operations. A system to account for all employees after evacuation. Rescue and medical duties for employees who perform them. Means for reporting fires and other emergencies. Contacts for information about the plan. Chain of Command An emergency response coordinator and a back-up coordinator must be designated. The coordinator may be responsible for plant-wide operations, public information and ensuring that outside aid is called in. A back-up coordinator ensures that a trained person is always available. Duties of the coordinator include: Determining what emergencies may occur and seeing that emergency procedures are developed to address them. Directing all emergency activities, including evacuation of personnel. Ensuring that outside emergency services such as medical aid and local fire departments are called when necessary. Directing the shutdown of plant operations when necessary. Emergency Response Teams Members of emergency response teams should be thoroughly trained for potential emergencies and physically capable of carrying out their duties; know about toxic hazards in the workplace and be able to judge when to evacuate personnel or depend on outside help (e.g. when a fire is too large for them to handle). One or more teams must be trained in: Use of various types of fire extinguishers. First aid, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The requirements of the OSHA bloodborne pathogens standard. Shutdown procedures. Chemical spill control procedures. Use of self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). Search and emergency rescue procedures. Hazardous materials emergency response in accordance with 28 CFR 1910.120. Response Activities Effective emergency communication is vital. An alternate area for a communications center other than management offices should be established in the plans, and the emergency response coordinator should operate from this center. Management should provide emergency alarms and ensure that employees know how to report emergencies. An updated list of key personnel and off-duty telephone numbers should be maintained. A system should be established for accounting for personnel once workers have been evacuated with a person in the control center responsible for notifying police or emergency response team members of persons believed missing. Effective security procedures, such as cordoned off areas, can prevent unauthorized access and protect vital records and equipment. Duplicate records can be kept in off-site locations for essential accounting files, legal documents and lists of employees relatives to be notified in case of emergency. Training Every employee needs to know details of the emergency action plan, including evacuation plans, alarm systems, reporting procedures for personnel, shutdown procedures, and types of potential emergencies. Drills should be held at random intervals, at least annually, and include, if possible, outside police and fire authorities. Training must be conducted initially, when new employees are hired, and at least annually. Additional training is needed when new equipment, materials, or processes are introduced, when procedures have been updated or revised, or when exercises show that employee performance is inadequate. Personal Protection Employees exposed to accidental chemical splashes, falling objects, flying particles, unknown atmospheres with inadequate oxygen or toxic gases, fires, live electrical wiring, or similar emergencies need personal protective equipment, including: Safety glasses, goggles, or face shields for eye protection. Hard hats and safety shoes. Properly selected and fitted respirators. Whole body coverings, gloves, hoods, and boots. Body protection for abnormal environmental conditions such as extreme temperatures. Medical Assistance Employers not near an infirmary, clinic, or hospital should have someone on-site trained in first aid, have medical personnel readily available for advice and consultation, and develop written emergency medical procedures. It is essential that first aid supplies are available to the trained medical personnel, that emergency phone numbers are placed in conspicuous places near or on telephones, and prearranged ambulance services for any emergency are available. Further Information More detailed information on workplace emergencies is provided in "How to Prepare for Workplace Emergencies" (OSHA 3088) available free from OSHA Publications, Room N3101, 200 Constitution Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210, telephone (202) 219-4667, or local OSHA offices. This is one of a series of fact sheets highlighting U.S. Department of Labor programs. It is intended as a general description only and does not carry the force of legal opinion.

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Emergency Response Planning For Schools
Emergency Response Planning for Schools by Doug Henderson The need to communicate emergency instructions during a crisis situation is essential to the effective execution of the emergency management plan. Communicating accurate and detailed information about a facility evacuation or emergency lockdown presents a significant challenge. In this document, Doug Henderson discusses the importance of proper emergency procedures.   School safety procedures have historically focused on facility evacuation or fire drill exercises. These exercises are usually performed on a regular basis throughout the school year. Facility evacuation procedures are the appropriate response for fire emergencies and for certain other threats, such as bomb threats and internal hazardous releases. NEW THREATS During the past few years, terrorist attacks and “hostile intruder” situations have emerged as serious threats to schools. These threats require creating “emergency lockdown” or “shelter-in-place” procedures ? the exact opposite of a facility evacuation. Terrorist attacks and hostile intruder situations constitute life-threatening events, and conducting a facility evacuation or failing to respond properly could be a fatal mistake. Note that emergency lockdown procedures are also appropriate for other situations, such as external hazardous releases and, with some modification, tornado emergencies. RESPONSES TO THE NEW THREATS Teachers and staff are frequently the initial responders to an emergency situation. In particular, students view teachers as role models and leaders. In an emergency situation, students will probably follow the advice of their teachers and other adults. Yet very few of these initial responders have any formal training in emergency response. Schools need to train all their employees in proper emergency response procedures. These instructions should be written in a concise manner and address all current threats. In addition, management needs to review these procedures with employees at meetings. Armed with this information, teachers will be in a position to discuss these procedures their students. Most importantly, as with facility evacuation exercises, emergency lockdown procedures need to be practiced. Threats that trigger an emergency lockdown are probably life threatening. Although these exercises might cause some initial stress, it's critically important that everyone knows the proper action steps. In the longer term, these exercises will give everyone some level of empowerment in an actual emergency situation that might otherwise be overwhelming. COMMUNICATION The need to communicate emergency instructions during a crisis situation is essential to the effective execution of the emergency management plan. Communicating accurate and detailed information about a facility evacuation or emergency lockdown presents a significant challenge. At a minimum, schools need some type of siren to alert everyone to a dangerous condition outside of the classroom that requires an emergency lockdown. It's also essential to use an intercom system for effective dissemination of emergency information about a hostile intruder, hazardous release, etc. that can't be communicated by a siren alone. Depending on the specific threat, there are important differences in emergency lockdown procedures. For example, for a hostile intruder threat, doors need to be locked, windows and window treatments closed, and everyone should get out of sight. For a tornado threat (with time permitting), the school would probably want to relocate individuals from outside rooms to interior corridors ? a procedure that you wouldn't follow in a hostile intruder situation. CONCLUSION Every school needs to develop an Emergency Lockdown plan, as well as specialized procedures to respond to a hostile intruder, terrorist attack, and other threats. Communicate all plans and procedures to everyone involved or potentially affected. Most importantly, practice these plans and procedures on a regular basis; practicing emergency lockdown procedures is as important as mock Facility Evacuations. Douglas M. Henderson, FSA, CDRP , can be reached at Disaster Management, Inc., 12321 NW 9th St., #100 , Plantation, FL 33322, (954) 452-1091, fax (954) 452-1086, Web site www.disastermgt.com, or e-mail [email protected].   Emergency Lockdown Procedures   If there's an emergency situation in which an evacuation of a building and/or classroom is not advisable (hostile intruder, hazardous release outside, terrorist attack, etc.), follow these procedures: Communication •  Announce an Emergency Lockdown (or “Shelter-in-Place”) by intercom or other voice communication. •  If an individual discovers a situation that might require an Emergency, they should contact Police/Security immediately and provide as much information as possible. •  Do not sound fire evacuation alarms. Procedures   •  Lock classroom and other doors. •  Close windows and window treatments. •  Turn off lights. •  Have everyone remain quiet and not enter hallways. •  If the fire alarm sounds, do not evacuate the building unless: •  You have first-hand knowledge that there's a fire in the building, or •  Police/Security have advised you to evacuate the building. •  Crouch down in areas that are out of sight of doors and windows. •  Students in hallways should seek shelter in the nearest classroom. •  Students in outdoor areas should take cover immediately. Return to the gym if it's safe to do so. If the threat is outdoors on campus grounds, cancel all outdoor activities.