In recent weeks, we have seen horrifying fires, damaging tornadoes, and terrible flooding devastating communities and tormenting business owners. The companies who are handling these potentially destructive disasters best are those with an effective emergency action plan. Thankfully, OSHA created guidelines through standard 1910.38 for you to use as a starting point when developing an emergency action plan.

It is hard to discuss emergency action plans without also discussing evacuation plans. These plans, discussed in OSHA standard 1910.36, require that an adequate route be devised for each part of your facility in the event of an emergency which requires immediate egress. An effective emergency action plan must include provisions for evacuation and to account for employees after an evacuation, so obviously you need to incorporate the evacuation plan within the overall emergency action plan.

Time and time again when we review businesses who have suffered a disaster of one kind or another, we find that the more complete the emergency action plan, the sooner the business is able to resume operations. That is because business continuity is an integral part of the plan, and should be accounted for while creating an emergency action plan. If you ever need to put your emergency action plan into action, you will be glad that you incorporated business continuity into it.

If you have any questions about emergency action plans, or need help in establishing one, please contact us. And if you have anything to add to the discussion of emergency action plans, please leave a comment.