Comprehensive Guide to Workplace Emergency Action Plans and OSHA Standards (Full Transcript)

Speaker 1: Emergency Action Plan An emergency action plan is a written document that addresses expected emergencies in a workplace and organizes employer and employee actions during such events. A well-organized emergency action plan minimizes the severity of employee injuries and reduces property damage. The emergency action plan must address the different types of emergencies that may be expected in a workplace such as fire, chemical releases, and natural disasters, among others. The minimum elements of an emergency action plan are addressed in OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.38. OSHA standards require that emergency action plans must be maintained in a written format and be kept in the workplace, so they are readily available to employees for review. However, employers with 10 or fewer employees are accepted from this requirement and may orally communicate the emergency action plan to employees. At a minimum, an emergency action plan must include the following elements. Procedures for reporting an emergency Procedures for evacuation during an emergency, including the type of evacuation and assignment of exit routes Procedures to account for all employees after evacuation Procedures for employees performing rescue and medical duties The emergency action plan must also include the name and job title of each person who may be contacted by employees for information on the emergency action plan and their duties as specified by the plan. Additionally, employers must have an employee alarm system that uses a distinctive signal for each purpose as specified in 29 CFR 1910.165.