Emergency preparedness in the workplace is critical for ensuring the safety of employees and minimizing the impact of unexpected events. Whether it's a fire, natural disaster, medical emergency, or an active threat situation, being prepared can help mitigate risks and provide clear guidance on how to respond.
Workplace Emergencies
A workplace emergency is a situation that threatens workers, customers, or the public, disrupts or shuts down operations, or causes physical or environmental damage. Emergencies may be natural (severe weather) or man-made (active shooter). Some examples of workplace emergencies include:
- Hurricanes
- Tornadoes
- Earthquakes
- Floods
- Wildfires
- Chemical Spills
- Disease Outbreaks
- Bomb Threats
- Or, Active Shooters
Emergency Action Plan
An Emergency Action Plan (EAP) is intended to facilitate and organize employer and worker actions during a workplace emergency. This plan is a written document that outlines the actions employees should take during a workplace emergency. It also includes procedures for evacuations, reporting emergencies, and assigning roles to employees.
For more information on EAP's, visit our blog titled "What Should My Emergency Action Plan Include?"
Evacuation Types
There are different evacuation types, including:
- Shelter-In-Place: Stay where you are and wait until the proper authority deems it is safe to leave the area
- Horizontal Evacuation: Move to a safer location on the same floor or within the same area
- Vertical Evacuation: Use the stairs to move to a different, safer level of the building
- Building Evacuation: Evacuate the entire building
- Site Evacuation: Evacuate the entire worksite and possible surrounding areas
Shelter-In-Place
Shelter-in-place means selecting an interior room(s) within your facility, preferably with a few to no windows, and taking refuge there. A company can issue a shelter-in-place if there is a workplace emergency that warrants one, but in some cases, local authorities can issue a shelter-in-place protocol via TV or the radio.
A shelter-in-place may be required if there is a:
- Release of chemical, biological, or radiological contaminants into the environment in such quantity and/or proximity to the workplace
- Severe weather emergency, such as an earthquake
- Or, active threat situation, such as an active shooter
Emergency Escape Routes
An emergency escape route is a continuous, unobstructed path of exit from any point within a workplace to a safe place. An exit route consists of 3 parts, including:
- Exit Access: Portion of an exit route that leads to an exit
- Exit: Portion of an exit route that is separated from other areas to provide a protected way of travel to the exit discharge
- Exit Discharge: Part of the exit route that leads directly outside or to a street, walkway, refuge area, public way, or open space with access to the outside
An assembly location should be designated outside the building for employees to gather at after evacuating. This assembly location should be clearly illustrated on a map included in the EAP.
Resources
OSHA provides a webpage titled "Emergency Preparedness and Response: Getting Started" for General Business Preparedness for General, Construction, and Maritime Industries.
JJ Safety provides safety meetings on Emergency Action Plan topics and Emergency Preparedness. We also provide online safety training and safety training kits on Emergency Action Plan topics.
Conclusion
Workplace emergency preparedness is essential for ensuring the safety and well-being of all employees in the event of an unexpected crisis. By developing clear emergency plans, providing proper training, and equipping your team with the right tools and resources, you create a safer, more resilient work environment.
