Emergency alarms

Scope

OSHA requires emergency employee alarms be installed to meet a particular OSHA standard. This does not apply to those discharge or supervisory alarms required on various fixed extinguishing systems or to supervisory alarms on fire suppression, alarm or detection systems unless they are intended to be employee alarm systems.

Regulatory citations

• 29 CFR 1910.38 — Emergency action plans
• 29 CFR 1910.165 — Employee alarm systems

Key definitions

• Inspection: A visual check of fire protection systems and equipment to ensure that they are in place, charged, and ready for use in the event of a fire.
• Maintenance: The performance of services on fire protection equipment and systems to assure that they will perform as expected in the event of a fire. Maintenance differs from inspection in that maintenance requires the checking of internal fittings, devices and agent supplies.
• Training: The process of making proficient through instruction and hands-on practice in the operation of equipment, including respiratory protection equipment, that is expected to be used and in the performance of assigned duties.

Summary of requirements

• Install, test, and maintain an employee alarm system which provides warning for emergency actions as called for in the emergency action plan, or for reaction time for safe escape of employees from the workplace.
• Ensure the employee alarm is capable of being perceived above ambient noise or light levels by all employees in the affected portions of the workplace. Tactile devices may be used to alert those employees who would not otherwise be able to recognize the audible or visual alarm.
• Make sure the alarm is distinctive and recognizable as a signal to evacuate the work area or to perform actions designated under the emergency action plan.
• Establish procedures for sounding emergency alarms.
• Train employees on the ways to reporting emergencies, such as manual pull box alarms, public address systems, radio or telephones.
• Post emergency telephone numbers near telephones, or employee notice boards, and other conspicuous locations when telephones are a means of reporting emergencies.
• Use of direct voice communication is an acceptable procedure for employers with 10 or fewer employees in a particular workplace — provided all employees can hear the alarm.
• Use only approved devices, components, combinations of devices or systems.
• Restore employee alarm systems to normal operating condition as promptly as possible after each test or alarm.
• Assure that all employee alarm systems are maintained in operating condition except when undergoing repairs or maintenance.
• Perform a test every two months of the reliability and adequacy of the employee alarm systems.
• Use a different actuation device in each test of a multi-actuation device system (so that no individual device is used for two consecutive tests).
• Maintain or replace power supplies as often as is necessary to assure a fully operational condition. Provide back-up alarms when systems are out of service.
• Test all supervised employee alarm systems at least annually for reliability and adequacy.
• Ensure that the servicing, maintenance, and testing of employee alarms is done by persons trained in the designed operation and functions.