Emergency action plans are important for businesses of all sizes. They help to ensure that all employees are safe and accounted for in an emergency situation, and can help with business continuity after an emergency. And while it is important for every employer to have an emergency action plan in place for these reasons, it is also important to know that it is an OSHA requirement. OSHA regulates emergency action plans with Standard 1910.38.

Standard 1910.38 basically dictates that an emergency action plan must be in place, must be available to employees in writing, and must have specific procedures in place for the handling of emergency situations. These plans must include how to evacuate, how to notify the proper authorities, how to account for personnel after evacuation, and how to account for anyone who will remain in the building.

But beyond the basic details, it is important to remember the purpose of the emergency action plan. It is not a document that should be written up and forgotten about; emergency action plans can and do save lives. If a fire breaks out in a plant, this document has the predetermined steps to get employees out safely. And when you look at the recent disasters in Colorado and New Jersey, it is clear that these types of disasters can and do happen.

If you have any questions about how to establish an emergency action plan, or how to properly distribute it and train your employees on it, please contact us. If you have anything you would like to add about emergency action plans, please leave a comment.