Dashpivot Article – OSHA Emergency Action Plan Requirements
OSHA Emergency Action Plan Requirements
In this article, we will cover the requirements needed for an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) as required by the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSHA), as well as suggest ways to streamline the entire EAP processes.
A quick look at an Emergency Action Plan (EAP)
High-risk industries like construction, manufacturing, oil & gas, and other ones that come along with high-risk jobs need to have countermeasures – and an Emergency Action Plan is a type of countermeasure. An Emergency Action Plan (EAP) is designed as an aftermath solution after something goes wrong and a guide on how to respond quickly and safely, officially codified by the Occupational Health and Safety Act under 29 GFR 1910.38. You use an EAP so you can deal with an emergency.
A safety measure is designed to prevent incidents, while a countermeasure is designed to respond to incidents. Other types of countermeasures are fire extinguishers and first aid kits.
When we talk about high-risk industries, that means expecting emergencies like fires, chemical spills, explosions, evacuations, etc., and workplaces that are at high risk of these require clear, step-by-step safety roadmaps to handle such emergencies. Dealing with life and death, every second counts, so a well-practiced EAP can actually make such a huge difference in keeping everything coordinated and your workers safe.
Why does OSHA require an EAP?
The heart and core of OSHA is to protect the health and safety of employees at work, and having an EAP is just one part of it. The concept of emergency planning already long existed before, as like a form of an informal response to disasters, fire safety, and even in military operations. Structuring a plan that saves the lives of workers and employees, preserving and protecting properties, and keeping all workplaces compliant is an ethical responsibility, which only makes sense why OSHA made it a formal written plan for emergencies.
OSHA created specific standards and made an EAP a legal requirement to make sure that employers adhere uniformly to workplace safety. By having uniformity, there is structure that applies across to all industries. This formality makes sure that no matter the size of the company or business, safety will always be a top priority and there is a basic guide and level of emergency readiness that companies should meet.
Key requirements of an OSHA-compliant EAP
OSHA has laid out the key components in your EAP to make every second count during emergencies. A proper EAP must fully detail what everyone needs to do, and here are the pieces you need so you don’t waste time writing about irrelevant things:
How to report emergencies: This section must fully lay out the proper structure in reporting any type of emergency, including emergency contacts, alarms, intercom systems, etc. Collect all necessary information that you think would be helpful in emergencies, and even include all the possible types of emergencies related to the workplace.
Evacuation procedure and escape routes: This section must provide the exact and proper step-by-step instructions on proper evacuation (with visuals) and the identification of the exit/emergency/escape routes, assembly areas, safe areas, etc. You’ll need clear sketches and/or digestible visuals of escape routes, depending on the workplace.
Personnel in charge of critical tasks: Trained personnel must be given critical tasks that need to be performed before evacuating, like shutting down equipment, the power sources, gas lines, etc. Set whoever is in charge and is qualified to perform these tasks and make sure that they comply when emergencies arise.
Personnel in charge of attendance: There must be assigned personnel/staff to take the attendance at the assembly areas/points outside the building. It could either be headcount, roll call, etc. Usually, these are the team leaders, supervisors, or managers, who are leading teams. This way, it’s easier to account for persons in smaller groups.
First aid/Rescue/Medical: It should be stated in the EAP if there are assigned staff trained for first aid, CPR, search-and-rescue roles, etc., or if there are external responders responsible for that. This is one of the most important parts of your EAP, indicating who are the first-aiders, which rescue team, hospital, or emergency services should be contacted.
You can get more context in this article OSHA Emergency Action Plan for full-scale guide on how you should write your EAPs.
Read more about OSHA’s elements, requirements, and procedures in this Evacuation Plans and Procedure: Emergency Action Plan.
Workplaces that need an EAP for
It’s important to remember that not all workplaces need an Emergency Action Plan. Why? Because it depends on the hazards involved. Not all workplaces need it, but many do need it – it’s just a matter of determining how to know, based on these general indicators (according to OSHA):
There are fire risks/hazards: These could be anything that causes/starts a fire, fuels a fire, or worsens a fire.
There are hazardous materials/chemicals: Hazardous materials are extremely dangerous because they may be toxic, corrosive, reactive, explosive, and/or flammable.
The workplace is located in a confined space: Confined spaces are spaces that are not designed to fit multiple people, with limited area for entry and exit, and is only big enough for one person to enter.
What if your workspace doesn’t fall in any of these indicators? You’re not required to have a formal EAP, but it’s still the safest way to go to create one. And even if the OSHA standards aren’t the local regulations your company follows, and it’s at your own discretion to create one voluntarily, having one is highly recommended to maintain workplace safety.
OSHA doesn’t literally list the exact type of workplace, but they do indicate that if your workplace covers certain OSHA standards, then you’re required to have an EAP. The common workplaces that often have the indicators mentioned above are manufacturing plants, warehouses, chemical processing facilities, construction sites, power plants, maritime operations, mining operations, high-rise buildings, etc.
The key rule of thumb is that if your workplace follows any OSHA standard that indicates you need an EAP, then you must have one.
Free OSHA Emergency Plan Template
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Meeting OSHA emergency plan requirements with digital tools
If you want to consistently stay OSHA-compliant with your EAP, you don’t need heaps and piles of paperwork to do it. Going digital makes complying with OSHA faster and easier. You can easily create, manage, edit, and tailor your Emergency Action Plans by using digital tools to streamline the entire process. All of your documents are stored in a secured cloud, making sure all your EAPs are accessible, accurate, and ready for whenever you need them.
Like this OSHA Emergency Action Plan App, you can improve your EAP documentation and processes. In any form of emergency, your workers and everyone in the team can confidently work through the procedures. Make sure everyone stays well-informed of the latest version of your EAPs, which can be accessed via mobile devices, tablet, or computer, anytime, anywhere.
Technology making emergency action plans easier
In emergencies, you need to act fast, and relying on paper manuals and outdated evacuation charts, visuals, and procedures will only make things worse. Imagine you’re at the assembly points, accounting for your team members, but you don’t have with you the attendance sheet. It’s in such critical moments where you use digital tools that make keeping tabs easier. And although getting attendance is extremely important, digital tools can make even greater impacts to emergencies through other means.
Take this OSHA Emergency Action Plan, where you can build digital processes around this digital tool. Take it with you and your team anywhere in the field, making emergency procedures and responses accessible, promoting a proactive, safe, and accountable working environment.
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