What must be in my Emergency Action Plan (EAP)?

At a minimum, the plan must include but is not limited to the following elements [29 CFR 1910.38(c)]:

• Means of reporting fires and other emergencies
• Evacuation procedures and emergency escape route assignments
• Procedures to be followed by employees who remain to operate critical plant operations before they evacuate
• Procedures to account for all employees after an emergency evacuation has been completed
• Rescue and medical duties for those employees who are to perform them
• Names or job titles of persons who can be contacted for further information or explanation of duties under the plan

Although they are not specifically required by OSHA, you may find it helpful to include the following in your plan:

• 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]
• 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.

Means of reporting fires and other emergencies

Preferred procedures for reporting emergencies such as dialing 911, or an internal emergency number, or pulling a manual fire alarm are examples of emergency reporting procedures, but there are many other possibilities [29 CFR 1910.38(c)(1)].

Evacuation procedures and emergency escape route assignments

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. Exit diagrams are typically used to identify the escape routes to be followed by employees from each specific facility location [29 CFR 1910.38(c)(2)].

Evacuation procedures also often describe actions employees should take before and while evacuating such as shutting windows, turning off equipment, and closing doors behind them.

Sometimes a critical decision may need to be made when planning – whether or not employees should fight a small fire with a portable fire extinguisher or simply evacuate. Portable fire extinguishers may be integrated into the emergency action plan, find out how!

A disorganized evacuation can result in confusion, injury, and property damage. When developing your emergency action plan, it is important to determine the following:

• Conditions under which an evacuation would be necessary;
• Conditions under which it may be better to shelter-in-place;
• A clear chain of command and designation of the person in your business authorized to order an evacuation or shutdown;
• Specific evacuation procedures, including routes and exits;
• Specific evacuation procedures for high-rise buildings;
  • For Employers
  • For Employees
• Procedures for assisting visitors and employees to evacuate, particularly those with disabilities or who do not speak English;
• Designation of what, if any, employees will remain after the evacuation alarm to shut down critical operations or perform other duties before evacuating;
• A means of accounting for employees after an evacuation;
• Special equipment for employees; and
• Appropriate respirators.

Conditions under which an evacuation would be necessary A wide variety of emergencies both man-made and natural may require a workplace to be evacuated. These emergencies include – fires, explosions, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, toxic material releases, radiological and biological accidents, civil disturbances, and workplace violence.

Employers will want their employees to respond differently to these different threats. For example, employers may want to have employees assemble in one area inside the workplace if threatened by a tornado or perhaps a chemical spill on an adjacent highway, but evacuate to an exterior location during a fire. Your plan must identify when and how employees are to respond to different types of emergencies. Ask yourself questions and brainstorm worst-case scenarios. What would happen if the storeroom caught fire, the river flooded, or a chemical release occurred in the shop?

• The type of building you work in may be a factor in your decision. Most buildings are vulnerable to the effects of disasters such as tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, or explosions. The extent of the damage depends on the type of emergency and the building’s construction. Modern factories and office buildings, for example, are framed in steel and are structurally more sound than neighborhood business premises may be. In a disaster such as a major earthquake or explosion, however, nearly every type of structure will be affected. Some buildings will collapse and others will be left with weakened floors and walls.

Routes and exits Most employers create maps from floor diagrams with arrows that designate the exit route assignments. These maps should include locations of exits, assembly points, and equipment (such as fire extinguishers, first aid kits, spill kits) that may be needed in an emergency. Exit routes should be:

When preparing drawings that show evacuation routes and exits, post them prominently for all employees to see. See OSHA’s Floorplan Diagram example and OSHA’s Interactive Floorplan Demonstration.

Also, see Maintenance, Safeguards, and Operational Features for Exit Routes.

Procedures for assisting visitors and employees to evacuate, particularly those with disabilities or who do not speak English Many employers designate individuals as evacuation wardens to help move employees from danger to safe areas during an emergency. Generally, one warden for every 20 employees should be adequate, and the appropriate number of wardens should be available at all times during working hours.

Wardens may be responsible for checking offices, bathrooms, and other spaces before being the last person to exit an area. They might also be tasked with ensuring that fire doors are closed when exiting. All employees designated to assist in emergency evacuation procedures should be trained in the complete workplace layout and various alternative escape routes if the primary evacuation route becomes blocked. Employees designated to assist in emergencies should be made aware of employees with special needs (who may require extra assistance during an evacuation), how to use the buddy system, and any hazardous areas to avoid during an emergency evacuation.

Visitors also should be accounted for following an evacuation and may need additional assistance when exiting. Some employers have all visitors and contractors sign in when entering the workplace and use this list when accounting for all persons in the assembly area. The hosts and/or area wardens, if established, are often tasked with helping these individuals safely evacuate.

You also may find it beneficial to coordinate the action plan with other employers when several employers share the worksite, although OSHA standards do not specifically require this.

Employees who may remain to shut down critical operations before evacuating

Certain equipment and processes must be shut down in stages or over time. In other instances, it is not possible or practical for equipment or certain process to be shut down under certain emergency situations. This condition, which is not unusual for certain large manufacturers operating complex processes, is not typical of small enterprises that normally can turn off equipment or utilities if necessary and evacuate. However, some small enterprises may require designated employees remain behind briefly 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).

Each employer must review their operation and determine whether total and immediate evacuation is possible for various types of emergencies. The preferred approach, and the one most often taken by small enterprises, is an immediate evacuation of all their employees when the evacuation alarm is sounded.

If any employees will stay behind, the plan must describe in detail the procedures to be followed by these employees. All employees remaining behind must be capable of recognizing when to abandon the operation or task and evacuate themselves before their egress path is blocked. In small establishments, it is common to include in your plan locations where utilities (such as electrical and gas) can be shut down for all or part of the facility either by your own employees or by emergency response personnel.

Risk assessmentPortable fire extinguishers have two functions: to control or extinguish small or incipient stage fires and to protect evacuation routes that a fire may block directly or indirectly with smoke or burning/smoldering materials.

To extinguish a fire with a portable extinguisher, a person must have immediate access to the extinguisher, know how to actuate the unit, and know how to apply the agent effectively. Attempting to extinguish even a small fire carries some risk. Fires can increase in size and intensity in seconds, blocking the exit path of the firefighter and creating a hazardous atmosphere. In addition, portable fire extinguishers contain a limited amount of extinguishing agent and can be discharged in a matter of seconds. Therefore, individuals should attempt to fight only very small or incipient stage fires.

Prior to fighting any fire with a portable fire extinguisher, you must perform a risk assessment that evaluates the fire size, the firefighters’ evacuation path, and the atmosphere in the vicinity of the fire.

Risk Assessment Question	Characteristics of incipient stage fires or fires that can be extinguished with portable fire extinguishers	Characteristics of fires that SHOULD NOT be fought with a portable fire extinguisher (beyond incipient stage) – evacuate immediately
Is the fire too big?	The fire is limited to the original material ignited, it is contained (such as in a wastebasket) and has not spread to other materials. The flames are no higher than the firefighter’s head.	The fire involves flammable solvents, has spread over more than 60 square feet, is partially hidden behind a wall or ceiling, or can not be reached from a standing position.
Is the air safe to breathe?	The fire has not depleted the oxygen in the room and is producing only small quantities of toxic gases. No respiratory protection equipment is required.	Due to smoke and products of combustion, the fire can not be fought without respiratory protection.
Is the environment too hot or smoky?	Heat is being generated, but the room temperature is only slightly increased. Smoke may be accumulating on the ceiling, but visibility is good. No special personal protective equipment is required.	The radiated heat is easily felt on exposed skin making it difficult to approach within 10-15 feet of the fire (or the effective range of the extinguisher). One must crawl on the floor due to heat or smoke. Smoke is quickly filling the room, decreasing visibility.
Is there a safe evacuation path?	There is a clear evacuation path that is behind you as you fight the fire.	The fire is not contained, and fire, heat, or smoke may block the evacuation path.

Accounting for employees after an evacuation

To ensure the fastest, most accurate accountability of your employees, you may want to consider including these steps in your emergency action plan:

• Designate assembly areas or areas, both inside and outside your workplace, where employees should gather after evacuating.  Assembly locations within the building are often referred to as “areas of refuge.” Make sure your assembly area has sufficient space to accommodate all of your employees. Exterior assembly areas, used when the building must be partially or completely evacuated, are typically located in parking lots or other open areas away from busy streets. Try and designate assembly areas so that you will be up-wind of your building from the most common or prevailing wind direction.
• Take a headcount after the evacuation. Identify the names and last known locations of anyone not accounted for and pass them to the official in charge. Accounting for all employees following an evacuation is critical. Confusion in the assembly areas can lead to delays in rescuing anyone trapped in the building, or unnecessary and dangerous search-and-rescue operations. When designating an assembly area, consider (and try to minimize) the possibility of employees interfering with rescue operations. 
• Establish a method for accounting for non-employees such as suppliers and customers; and
• Establish procedures for further evacuation in case the incident expands. This may consist of sending employees home by normal means or providing them with transportation to an offsite location.

Fire, Rescue, and Medical Services

Although most of us quickly move away from the hazardous environments created during emergency situations, a group of dedicated and well-trained professional emergency responders and medical service personnel are tasked with containing and mitigating these incidents, rescuing individuals at-risk, and providing medical assistance to the injured.

Using public resources

Unless you are a large employer handling hazardous materials and processes or have employees regularly working in hazardous situations, you will probably choose to rely on local public resources to provide these specialized services. If you choose to use external departments or agencies, such as the local fire and police departments, medical clinics or hospitals, and ambulance services, make sure they are prepared to respond as outlined in your plan. For example:

• Have members of the local fire department conduct a walk-through of your workplace so they are familiar with the layout and any potential hazards.
• Establish a relationship with a local ambulance service so transportation is readily available for emergencies.
• Make arrangements with nearby medical clinics or other facilities to handle emergency cases and to provide medical and first-aid services to employees.
• If an infirmary, clinic, or hospital is not close to your workplace, ensure that onsite person(s) have adequate first-aid training. The American Red Cross, some insurance providers, local safety councils, fire departments, or other sources may be able to provide this training. Treatment of a serious injury should begin within three to four minutes of the accident. Consult with a physician or other professional to order appropriate first-aid supplies for emergencies.

Names or job titles of persons who can be contacted for further information or explanation of duties under the plan

The names, titles, departments, and phone numbers of employees who can be contacted for additional information or clarification of some aspect of the plan [29 CFR 1910.38(c)(6)].