There is no hard and fast definition of what constitutes a disaster. Sometimes a disaster develops quickly, hitting you full-force with little or no warning. Other times, a disaster looms on the horizon for weeks until it becomes large enough to be a threat. However, the word disaster takes on a new meaning depending on the industry in which you work. A simple water pipe break could spell disaster if you are in the communications business and the break is in your electronic telephone switching area. A storm with high winds could spell disaster if you are in the electric or cellular business and the wind takes down your towers or power lines. If you are in a business that depends on refrigeration, a power outage could spell disaster.

When disasters, incidents and job health crises occur, your company's emergency response -- based on its emergency-preparedness and crisis-training programs -- will significantly affect the extent of damages and injuries sustained. This article outlines the general elements that should be included in your emergency response plan (ERP), including your company's responsibility for activating emergency procedures and how all members of an organization should respond to an emergency situation.

The plan basics
Emergencies do happen, including personal injuries, fires, explosions, chemical spills, toxic gas releases, vandalism, natural disasters such as tornadoes and floods, and man-made disasters such as riots and terrorist activities. Anticipating emergencies and planning your response can greatly lessen the extent of injuries and limit equipment, material and property damage.

ERPs are also the law. The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) requires facilities with over 10 employees to have a written emergency plan; in smaller facilities, the plan can be communicated orally. But whatever the size or type of your organization, top management support and the involvement of all employees is essential.

Your ERP should outline the basic preparedness steps needed to handle the anticipated emergencies at your work site. Although ERPs are not meant to be all-inclusive, they should provide appropriate guidance on what to do in an emergency. For example, a sound disaster response plan should include:

• Clear, written policies that designate a chain of command, listing names and job titles of the people (or departments) who are responsible for making decisions, monitoring response actions and recovering back to normal operations.
• Names of those who are responsible for assessing the degree of risk to life and property and who should be notified for various types of emergencies.
• Specific instructions for shutting down equipment and production processes and stopping business activities.
• Facility evacuation procedures, including a designated meeting site outside the facility and a process to account for all employees after an evacuation.
• Procedures for employees who are responsible for shutting down critical operations before they evacuate the facility.
• Specific training and practice schedules and equipment requirements for employees who are responsible rescue operations, medical duties, hazardous responses, fire fighting and other responses specific to your work site.
• The preferred means of reporting fires and other emergencies.

Since your ERP needs to address all emergencies that can be reasonably expected to occur in your particular workplace, you need to perform a hazard survey to determine your exposures. For example, emergency planners need to determine if other nearby facilities may pose a hazard. (For a list of nearby facilities' possible hazards, contact your local emergency response agency, which must provide such lists under the SARA Title III Act.) Besides hazards from other facilities, emergency planners need to consider any toxic materials that may cause unsafe conditions. Contact the chemical manufacturer or supplier to obtain material safety data sheets (MSDSs). These describe the hazards that a chemical may present; list precautions to take when handling, storing or using the substances; and outline emergency and first-aid procedures.

Based on your hazard assessment, your ERP should then be written for various emergency situations, including floor plans or workplace maps that clearly show the emergency escape routes and safe areas. Next, all employees must be told how to respond to these identified potential emergencies. The ERP should be reviewed with all employees when it is initially developed, when employees' responsibilities outlined in the plan change, and when the plan itself changes. A copy of the ERP should be kept in an easily accessible location that's convenient to all employees. And, as a best practice, employers should give each employee a copy of the ERP during training and new-employee orientations.

During an emergency, often an area needs to be secured in order to prevent unauthorized access and to protect vital records and equipment. Off-limit areas must be cordoned off, and it may be necessary to notify local law enforcement personnel or to employ private security personnel to secure this area.

Designate a leader
During a disaster or crisis, individuals may panic or otherwise overreact. In the absence of leadership training, problems will inevitably occur, and the chances for personal injury and significant damage to property, equipment and facilities compound quickly. So your first step in preparing for disasters or emergencies should be to designate a leader -- an emergency response coordinator (ERC) -- who is trained to assess the degree of the emergency and to determine the appropriate action.

The coordinator should be drawn from management ranks, possibly the engineering manager, safety manager or environmental compliance manager. In larger facilities, a backup coordinator should also be named. The ERC is responsible for overseeing all emergency activities, including the planning process and the selection and training of response team members. In an actual emergency, the coordinator's duties would include:

• Determining whether a situation requires emergency procedures.
• Directing the orderly shutdown of plant operations when necessary.
• Evacuating personnel when necessary.
• Ensuring that outside emergency services such as medical and local fire departments are called as needed.
• Notifying senior management of the emergency and the company=s response.

A plan for reporting emergencies should be in writing and explained by the ERC to all employees. For example, the ERC should cover with employees the means for reporting emergencies, such as manual alarms, public address systems or telephones. Emergency telephone numbers should be posted on or near telephones, on bulletin boards or in other conspicuous locations. It may also be necessary to notify other essential team members during off-duty hours, so an up-to-date, written list of essential personnel, in priority order, should be posted.

The ERC also needs to ensure that alarms are audible or can be seen by everyone in the facility. The alarms should be distinctive to signal evacuation of a work area or to take other actions as outlined in the company's ERP. In addition, the ERC needs to ensure that the alarms have an auxiliary power supply in case electricity is affected. (And, remember, fire extinguishers should be inspected at least quarterly by a fire extinguisher service.)

During a major emergency, it may be necessary to evacuate your facility, and utilities such as electricity, water and telephone may become nonexistent. Under these conditions, an alternate area needs to be designated where employees can report or that serves as a focal point for incoming and outgoing calls. In addition, the ERC should make this area an alternate headquarters where he or she can be easily reached. Emergency communications equipment such as amateur radio systems, public address systems, cellular phones and portable radio units should be present for notifying employees of the emergency and for contacting local authorities such as law enforcement, the American Red Cross and the fire department.

Following an evacuation, the ERC will need to know when all personnel have been accounted for. This can be difficult during shift changes or if contractors are on site. A responsible person in a control center -- human resources department, security center, etc. -- should be appointed to account for personnel and to inform the ERC of those persons believed missing.

Train your teams
Emergency response teams are the first lines of defense in emergencies. Before assigning team members, though, employers must ensure that these employees are physically capable of performing any assigned duties. Depending on the size of your plant or office, one or more teams may need to be trained. In fact, several different groups -- management, emergency response teams and employees -- should be trained in anticipation of an emergency:

• Managers and supervisors need to give calm direction and personal leadership. They must know what to do, what their own responsibilities are, and who is in charge. They should be trained in directing equipment shutdowns and evacuation procedures and in conducting a tally of employees after an evacuation.
• Emergency response teams should be thoroughly trained for potential emergencies and their containment.
• All employees need to know the company's specific emergency procedures, what they are expected to do, from whom they should take direction, and the exact evacuation route from their department.

And to keep all teams on their toes, your company's ERP should be tested at least annually with mock drills and facility evacuations.

More on OSHA
OSHA regulations on emergency preparedness and fire safety should be referenced in your ERP since these regulations represent the minimum level required under the law. Employers who do not meet OSHA regulations on emergency preparedness and fire emergencies are subject to citations and fines.

For instance, you need to review OSHA's regulations for means of egress, which are based on the National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA's), Life Safety Code 101-1970, and OSHA's standard 1910.165, which deals with facility alarm systems. OSHA regulations do not require employers to establish facility fire brigades; instead, companies can set up evacuation procedures to clear the facility immediately and leave the fire fighting to the local fire department.

However, if an employer decides to set up a facility fire brigade, certain OSHA regulations are immediately triggered. These regulations include requirements for a formal fire brigade structure with specific physical fitness qualifications, education and hands-on training for brigade members.

OSHA's basic standards on fire safety require employers to provide proper exits, emergency evacuation plans and employee training. These regulations are in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) beginning at 1910.155.

For a review of OSHA's emergency preparedness requirements for general industry, see the OSHA Publication 3122, Principle Emergency Response and Preparedness Requirements in OSHA Standards and Guidance for Safety and Health Programs.

Expect the unexpected
Much of the planning and program development for responding to emergencies will require some professional assistance. Many public and private agencies provide information and services free or at a minimal cost (e.g., federal, state, and local health and labor departments, your insurance carrier, nearby universities, etc.). After exhausting these sources, consider using private consultants whose specialties match your specific needs.

Remember, the main objective of any ERP is to provide a safe environment for employees during an emergency and to limit the loss of property. Your plan should spell out a course of action that directs personnel in acting immediately and correctly in all types of emergencies.

"Expect the unexpected" has always been my motto. Putting your plan in writing or updating your existing plan and implementing them through regular drills or mock evacuations will ultimately pay off when a real disaster occurs. One final thought: Invite your local fire department to tour your facility on a regular basis in order to become familiar with your operations.

Carl Griffith is the Safety Director for Trench-It in Chicago, Ill. He can be reached at 630/858-7870 or by his e-mail: carlgrif@aol.com. Rick Vulpitta, is the National Safety Council's Utilities Division Manager 630/775-2128 or by e-mail: vulpittr@nsc.org.

Organizations
American National Standards Institute
American Red Cross
Federal Emergency Management Agency
National Fire Protection Association
National Safety Council
Occupational Safety & Health Administration
U.S. National Weather Service