Worker Emergency Response Plan

OSHA requires that emergency response plans be recorded, in writing, and shared with employees. It refers to these programs as Emergency Response or Emergency Action Plans (EAPs) throughout its website.

Several standards detail emergency response. The webpage titled "Preparedness," Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER), provides a list of these standards for various industries. Standard 29 CFR 1910.38(c) explains the basic elements of an Emergency Action Plan for hazardous materials sites. The plan entails the following:

• Planning and coordination with off-site responders prior to the emergency
• Providing workers with details of worker roles
• Identifying potential emergencies and planning how to avoid them
• Establishing lines of authority and communication during an emergency
• Establishing safe places for workers in the event of an emergency
• Emergency decontamination and first aid
• Necessary PPE
• Criteria for evaluating the EAP's effectiveness

Employers must of course ensure that workers are trained on this plan, have access to the written document, have access to required PPE, and understand all emergency operations.

To learn more about HAZWOPER visit our HAZWOPER 40 Hour Online Training web page.