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Terrorism, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), is the calculated use of unlawful force or violence, or the threat of unlawful force or violence, against person or property for purposes of intimidation, coercion, or ransom in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious, or ideological.
Scope
Terrorist incidents are not emergencies that OSHA expects an employer to reasonably anticipate. However, if a terrorist incident does occur in or near your workplace, an effective evacuation plan increases the likelihood that your employees will reach shelter safely.
Regulatory citations
- None
Key definitions
- None
Summary of requirements
Employers have no specific requirements to follow, but may want to evaluate the potential for their facility to be targeted. Employers covered by 1910.119, Process safety management of highly hazardous chemicals, may consider potential attacks in their emergency response plans. Employers may also have considerations for responding to releases under 1910.120, Hazardous waste operations and emergency response.
Terrorists typically plan attacks to obtain the greatest publicity, choosing targets that symbolize what they oppose. The effectiveness of the terrorist act lies not in the act itself, but in the public’s or government’s reaction to the act.
A terrorist attack can take several forms, depending upon the technology available to the terrorist, the nature of the issue motivating the attack, and the points of weakness of the target. While bombings are the most common method, other possibilities include and attack at transportation facilities, utilities, banking and financial targets, landmarks and national treasures, or attacks on public services.
Terrorist weapons can include use of explosives, kidnappings, hijackings, arson, and killings and assassinations, and cyber-attacks designed to slow down or destroy computer networks. Terrorist weapons could also include “weapons of mass destruction” (WMD), defined as biological or chemical agents, and atomic or radioactive “dirty” bombs designed to cause massive casualties in the civilian population.
Since terrorism can impact employers and workers, OSHA works with other federal agencies including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Soldier Biological and Chemical Command (SBCCOM), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and, within CDC, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).