Emergency Preparedness – Why You Need A Written Plan

Emergency Action Planning

As September’s National Preparedness Month comes to a close, we encourage you to review your organization’s emergency procedures. No matter the situation, every workplace should have a written emergency action plan (EAP) that outlines processes for monitoring and responding to changing conditions and communicating with employees. When developing or reviewing your plan, ask yourself the following questions:

• Is there a safety team assigned to owning/revising the plan?
• Have emergency-escape routes been developed and communicated to all employees?
• Do employees who control critical operations before evacuating know their procedures?
• Is the emergency alarm warning system recognizable and understandable above ambient conditions?
• Are alarm systems tested regularly – at least annually?
• Do employees know their responsibilities for the following activities:
  • Responding to emergency alert systems and warnings
  • Reporting emergencies
  • Contacting emergency responders
  • Performing rescue and medical duties

For more information on preparing for emergencies, visit our Resource Library.