• An emergency action plan (EAP) will detail procedures for successful evacuation in an emergency, as well as a successful shutdown of a facility’s critical operations.
• A diverse group of representatives, including management and employees, should be involved in the EAP planning process.

An emergency action plan (EAP) is a written document to aid employees in successful evacuation in an emergency, as well as successful shutdown of critical operations. Almost every business is required to have an EAP. If the organization has 10 or fewer employees, the plan does not need to be written and may be communicated orally. Employers who are required to have an EAP must:

• Establish emergency escape procedures and emergency escape route assignments.
• Develop procedures to be followed by employees who remain to operate critical plant operations before they evacuate.
• Establish procedures to account for all employees after emergency evacuation has been completed.
• Assign rescue and medical duties for those employees who are to perform them.
• List the preferred means of reporting fires and other emergencies.
• Establish an employee alarm system. If the employee alarm system is used for alerting fire brigade members, or for other purposes, use a distinctive signal for each purpose.
• List the types of evacuation to be used in emergency circumstances.
• Designate and train a sufficient number of employees to assist in the safe and orderly emergency evacuation of employees before implementing the EAP.
• Review the EAP with each covered employee upon initial assignment, when the employee’s responsibilities or designated actions under the plan change, and when the plan changes.

Putting together a comprehensive emergency action plan involves taking what was learned from a workplace evaluation and describing how employees will respond to different types of emergencies, taking into account the specific worksite layout, structural features, and emergency systems.

Most organizations find it beneficial to include a diverse group of representatives (management and employees) in the planning process. The commitment and support of all employees is critical to the plan’s success; they should be involved in establishing and implementing the EAP.

Although not specifically required, employers may find it helpful to include the following in the EAP:

• A description of the alarm system to be used to notify employees (including disabled employees) to evacuate and/or take other actions. The alarms used for different actions should be distinctive and might include horn blasts, sirens, or even public address systems.
• Designation of an alternative communications center to be used in the event of a fire or explosion.
• A secure location to store originals or duplicate copies of accounting records, legal documents, employees’ emergency contact lists, and other essential records.