Workplace Emergencies

An unforeseen situation that threatens the employees,

customers, or the public, disrupts or shuts down our
operations, or causes physical or environmental damage.

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Types of Emergency

• Earthquakes / Tsunamis
• Floods
• Cyclones
• Energy/utility outages
• Fire hazard /Serious accidents
• Hazardous materials releases
• Terrorism

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Workplace Emergency Reporting and alerting Emergencies

• Employees must know how to

report emergencies

• “555" is a common method for

reporting emergencies if
external emergency personnel
are used at your workplace

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Workplace Emergency

• Fatality: Death of one or more employees from a

work-related incident
• Catastrophe: In-patient hospitalization of three or
more employees as a result of a work-related incident

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Emergency Preparedness
Essential elements of emergency preparedness planning:

• Identify hazards and assess risk.

• Assess capabilities and resources.
• Develop an emergency plan and procedures.
• Integrate the plan with the community plan.
• Conduct training.
• Public relations.
• Conduct Drills and Exercises.
• Develop Plan Audit Procedures.

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Governments Response to Emergency

• To assist local response agencies in any way possible

within Government’s capabilities (Non-enforcement)
• To initiate workplace investigation (Enforcement) – Labor
Department

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Non-enforcement role vs. Enforcement
World Trade Center after 9-11

CPC terrorist attack

Construction site

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Incident Command System

INCIDENT COMMAND

SAFETY INFORMATION

LIAISON

FINANCE/
OPERATIONS PLANNING LOGISTICS ADMINISTRATION

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Requirements for Emergency Response and Preparedness

General Requirements for all Workplaces

 First Aid and Medical Training:

attention, and  In the absence of readily
 Medical services and first aid accessible medical services, a
Procedures: person with first aid training
 Ensure medical personnel is

available for consultation and

advice on occupational health
matters
 Provide suitable facilities for

quick drenching and flushing of

the eye

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Requirements for Emergency Response and Preparedness
Additional Requirements for Workplaces referenced in other standards

Employee emergency action Training:

plan – Review emergency action plan with
Procedures: each employee when the plan is
developed, responsibilities shift, or
– Prepare and implement a the emergency procedures change.
written action plan that – Provide specific training to
includes: employees who are expected to
• Emergency escape procedures assist in evacuation
• Procedures for those who
remain to conduct critical
operations
• Means of reporting fires and
emergencies
• Procedures to account for
employees after the emergency

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Requirements for Emergency Response and Preparedness

General Requirements for all Workplaces

 Means of exit
Procedures:
– Maintain unobstructed exits
from every building and
structure where employees
are working
– Mark all exits with signs and
mark access to exits where it
is not immediately apparent
how to exit

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Requirements for Emergency Response and Preparedness

General Requirements for all Workplaces

 Fire protection and
prevention

Procedures:
– Develop fire protection program
– Provide fire extinguishers and
other firefighting equipment
Training:
– If a fire brigade is necessary,
adequately train them.

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Requirements for Emergency Response and Preparedness

Additional Requirements for Specific Workplaces/Operations

 Listing of hazardous
chemicals
 Emergency response to
hazardous substance
releases

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Requirements for Emergency Response and Preparedness

Additional Requirements for Specific Workplaces/Operations

 Specific excavation – Provide and ensure the use of
requirements a safety harness and lifeline
when employee(s) perform
Procedures:
work in bell-bottom pier holes
– Provide emergency rescue or similar deep and confined
equipment when an excavation footing excavations
contains or potentially contains
a hazardous atmosphere
– Ensure that person(s) attend
the equipment in case of
emergency.

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Requirements for Emergency Response and Preparedness

Specific Workplaces/Operations

 Power Transmission and

Distribution
Procedures:
– Provide spotlights or portable lights
for emergency lighting when
needed to work safely at night
Training:
– Provide training and ensure that
employees understand emergency
procedures and first aid
fundamentals, including CPR

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Exposure to dust
in construction
work

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Requirements that Support Emergency Response and Preparedness

 Gases, vapors, fumes, dust, and mists

Procedures:
– Ensure that employee exposures do not exceed the limits provided
by the standard.
– Exposures should be limited through engineering controls,
administrative controls, and, as a last resort, PPE

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Other consideration

Emergency Preparation and Evacuation for

Employees with Disabilities: Identifying Potential
Interventions and Methods for Testing Them

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Disaster Preparation and Emergency

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Disaster Preparation and Emergency Planning

 An increased understanding of both person factors

and environment factors will help identify specific
behaviors and environmental conditions to increase
the margin of safety for those most at risk
 Person factors include participatory action planning,
training, and feedback
 Environment factors include access compliance,
assistive technology, and programs, practices, and
procedures

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Person Factors: Employees
 Use an individualized approach for evacuation
contingencies that fits the person
 Pre-plan emergency contingencies
 Assess the specific needs of the employee with a
disability; the types of emergencies that may occur;
and the location of the employees during these
emergencies
 Update and transfer the plan to wherever the
employee may be transferred within the company

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Person Factors: Staff

There are basically two approaches to training staff to

assist employees with disabilities:
 The “buddy system” where one employee is responsible
for another employee with a disability during an
emergency
 A cross-training system in which all employees help
fellow employees with disabilities, using one method for
those who have visual limitations, another for those with
mobility issues, etc.

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Environment Factors

Safety officers should conduct an inventory of building

features such as accessible emergency signal devices,
alarms, and pathways of travel to exits that are free of
obstacles

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Environment Factors:

 Accessible wheel-Chairs should be placed in easy-

to-access locations to assist mobility-limited
persons to safely descend the stairs.
 There are several types of evacuation chairs to
assist with vertical descent during emergencies:

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

 Environment Factors:

Electronic and information technology

 Audible Directional Signage and Audible Pedestrian
Systems help inform persons with visual impairments
about pathways to building exits through transmission
of low power radio waves or infrared beams that
provide verbal signals – such as “stairway,” “restroom,”
or “elevator” to cue the person when approaching one
of these environmental landmarks.

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Environment Factors: Access
Area of Rescue and Assistance
 Should have 2-way radios, cell phones, and
rechargeable flashlights. (Some suggest two-way
communication, with both a visual and audible signal)
 Should have a “hard-wired” intercom for direct
communication with the fire department and other first
responders
 Rescue assistance areas should be clearly designated
with an international symbol of accessibility. Other
similar signs should be posted to direct emergency
response teams to this safe area

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Environment Factors: programs,

 Involve employees with disabilities in all

discussions on disaster preparation in the
workplace
 Common elements in evacuation programs
 Awareness/Preparedness

 Notification/Warning/Instruction

 Evacuation/Movement/Transportation

 Areas of Refuge/Shelter

 Re-entry

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

 Environment Factors: programs, practices, and procedures

Recommendations:
 Organizations take an inventory of employees with
disabilities so that as part of the disaster planning process
emergency planners know the number, type of disabilities,
specific needs of employees with disabilities, and their
preferences regarding the evacuation process

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Planning for emergencies

• Conduct a comprehensive assessment

• Consider accidents, fires, medical emergencies, chemicals,

severe weather, transportation, utilities, deliberate acts

• Most likely scenarios

• Worst-case scenarios

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Minimum elements of an Emergency Action Plan

• Preferred method of reporting

• Evacuation policy & procedure
• Emergency escape procedures and route assignments
• List of contacts with telephone numbers
 Inside & outside facility
• Procedures for employees that remain for:
 Shutdown of critical operations
 Fire suppression

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Other EAP elements

• Rescue duties & medical care

• Assembly area & employee accountability
• Coordinator
 Size-up emergency
 Oversee operations
 Coordinate with emergency responders
 Direct orderly shutdown of operations

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Medical care
• Availability of trained persons
• Availability of trained First Aiders
• Availability of equipment
• Availability of emergency medicine
• Availability of transport/ambulance
• Links with medical facilities

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Employee training
• Roles & responsibilities
• Threats, hazards, and protective actions
• Notification, warning, and communication
• Proper response
• Train employees:
 Initially
 New hires
 Changes to process, facility, or plan

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Important considerations

• Evacuation routes
 Alternatives
• Assembly point
 Alternatives
• Accountability
• Handicapped individuals
• Visitors and contractors
• Coordination with other tenants
• Practice drills

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Contingency plans

Operations
• Who’s in charge?
• Employee rosters (current? available offsite?)
• Temporary space
• Resumption of operations (critical, other)
• Telecommunication & information technology
• Administrative functions & files
• Permanent relocation

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Safety for responders

“Responders” includes more than formal emergency services

 Skilled support personnel, contractors, utilities, public works,
transportation

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

 Safety for responders

Incident management
• Preplanning
• Training
• Incident Command System (ICS) implementation
 Unified command
• Incident Safety Officer
• Risk management
 Realistic estimate of risk vs. benefit
 Hierarchy of controls

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Safety for responders

Incident management, cont’d

• Personnel accountability, span of control
• Identification of hazards and implementation of controls
• Establish perimeter, operational zones, access control
• Management of mutual-aid and volunteers

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd

Safety for responders

• Safety & health represented in planning cycle

 Incident Action Plan (IAP) should include safety components
 Medical, rehabilitation, evacuation, accountability
• Safety & health concerns may be inadvertently overlooked
 Competing priorities, limited experience with certain hazards

© 2012 Holcim Group Support Ltd