Disasters happen. Whether natural or man made, disasters are bound to occur. We cannot always predict them, but we can prepare for them. Preparing for a disaster is crucial to employee safety and continuation of business. It is also a requirement for OSHA 1910.38. This standard describes the minimum elements any emergency action plan should include.

Emergency action plans must, at a minimum, include procedures for reporting a fire, procedures for evacuation, procedures to account for all employees after evacuation, procedures to be followed by employees performing rescue or medical duties, and the names and job titles of all employees who may be contacted for more information about the emergency action plan. Further, OSHA 1910.38 details that there must be an employee alarm system, employee training, and periodic reviews of the emergency action plan.

Tied into this standard is OSHA 1910.36, which we previously discussed. This standard gives the specific details of required evacuation procedures. This standard, in conjunction with OSHA 1910.38, can help you to prepare for disasters of any size, from a small fire in the break room caused by an employee microwaving tinfoil to a magnitude 10 earthquake. In either instance, the only way to avoid potentially serious problems to your employees, your business, and yourself is preparation.

So, if you have not recently updated your emergency action plan, or if your business has changed recently in any significant way (such as personnel, procedures, machinery used, etc.) it would behoove you to ensure your emergency action plans are up to code with OSHA 1910.38. If you have any question about implementing OSHA 1910.38, please contact us so that we can assist you. If you have any useful information on Emergency Action Plans and OSHA 1910.38, please post them in the comments section.