EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN
What is a workplace emergency?
It is an unforeseen situation that threatens employees,
customers, or the public; disrupts or shut down company's
operations; or causes physical or environmental damage.
This can pose actual or potential hazard to life,
environment, facility, production, and company's
image
Emergencies may be natural or manmade.
Emergencies businesses can experience include:
Natural Disasters
o Avalanche
o Drought
o Dust/Sand Storms
o Earthquakes
o Flood
o Hurricane Tsunami
o Landslide/Mudslide
o Lightning
o Snow/Ice Hail
o Tornado
o Volcanic Eruption
o Windstorm
Technological
o Aircraft Crash
o Structural Collapse
o Business Interruption
o Dam/Levee Failure
o Explosions/Fire
o Extreme Air Pollution
o Financial Collapse
o Fuel Resource Shortage
o Hazardous Material Release
o Power/Utility Failure
o Radiological Nuclear Accidents
o Transportation Accidents
Human
o Arson
o Civil Unrest
o Enemy Attack
o General Strike
o Hostage Situation
o Mass Hysteria
o Terrorism
o War
o Workplace Violence
o Strikes
What is an emergency response plan?
It is an action plan to organize employees and actions
during workplace emergencies.
ERP shall be developed and implemented prior to
commencement of emergency response operations.
The plan shall be in writing and available for inspection
and copying by employees, their representatives and
OSHA inspectors.
Phases of emergency response process
Preparedness Phase
o Consists of activities carry out in advance before an
emergency strike to improve response to
emergency.
o E.g. hazard or risk analysis, training, drills and
exercises, emergency plans and procedures,
emergency communications, joint cooperation
consensus, warning systems procedures and
response planning
Response Phase
o Consists of the immediate response to emergency
by the ERT
o It is aim at containing the disaster so as to minimize
loss of life and destruction to property.
o Includes measures such as notification,
implementation of emergency plans, activation of
emergency operation centers, mobilization of
resources, issuance of warnings and directions,
provisions of medical and social services assistance,
announcement of emergencies or disasters by the
management.
Recovery Phase
o It refers to those measures undertaken following a
disaster that will return all systems to normal levels
of service. Includes measures such as:
physical restoration and reconstruction;
cleaning up contaminated areas;
eliminating and/or reducing any known hazards
restoring businesses.
Mitigation Phase
o It is the continuous ongoing endeavour to avert or
reduce the impact that a hazardous materials
incident will have on people, property, and the
environment. Examples of mitigation activities
would include the following:
Hazard Identification
Risk Analysis
Evaluation
Research
Education
Elements of Emergency Response Plan
1) Pre-emergency planning and coordination
with outside authorities
2) Personnel roles, lines of authority, training,
and communication
3) Emergency recognition and prevention
4) Safe distances and places of refuge
5) Site security and control
6) Evacuation routes and procedures
7) Decontamination
8) Emergency medical treatment & first aid
9) Emergency alerting & response procedures
10) Critique of response and follow-up
11) PPE & emergency equipment
Role of individuals in ERP
The senior emergency response official responding to
an emergency is responsible for:
o Implementing appropriate emergency response
operations
o Selecting the appropriate PPE
o Limiting the numbers of responders on site
The safety officer is responsible for:
o Identifying & evaluating hazards
o Providing direction with respect to operations
safety
o Alter, suspend, or terminate activities if an unsafe
condition exists
Back-up personnel must stand by with equipment to
provide assistance or rescue (when personnel enter
an IDLH-immediately dangerous to life or health
atmosphere)
If skilled support personnel are necessary to operate
specialized equipment:
o They are not required the regular training required
for normal employees, however
o They must be giving safety briefings on the site
including PPE required and chemical hazards at the
site
Specialist Employees are employees who will provide
technical advice within their expertise
o They must receive training or demonstrate
competence in their specialty annually
