At 1910.38(c) OSHA explains that an emergency action plan must, at a minimum, include:
- Procedures for reporting a fire or other emergency;
- Procedures for emergency evacuation, including type of evacuation and exit route assignments;
- Procedures to be followed by employees who remain to operate critical plant operations before they evacuate;
- Procedures to account for all employees after evacuation;
- Procedures to be followed by employees performing rescue or medical duties; and
- The name or job title of every employee who may be contacted by employees who need more information about the plan or an explanation of their duties under the plan.
OSHA further states that, “An employer must have an emergency action plan whenever an OSHA standard in this part requires one,” such as Process Safety Management, HAZWOPER, and ethylene oxide.
An emergency response plan (ERP), on the other hand, is sometimes required for facilities that have a certain amount of hazardous or dangerous materials present that could be involved in a chemical release. An ERP is a planned response effort by employees from outside the immediate release area or by other designated responders to an occurrence that results, or is likely to result, in an uncontrolled release of a hazardous substance.
