Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Emergency Plan For Construction Sites
Emergency Plan For Construction Sites
Contents
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1 Introduction
2 Contents
o 2.6 Post-emergency
Introduction
Construction sites can be dangerous places, and should have an emergency plan so that quick and effective
action can be taken in the event of a problem to ease the severity of the situation and to limit the
consequences. An emergency plan comprises agreed, recorded and rehearsed strategies, enabling those on
site to respond effectively and reliably.
Emergencies that may need to be planned for include (but are not limited to):
Serious injuries.
Explosion.
Flood.
Poisoning.
Electrocution.
Fire.
Chemical spill.
Structural collapse.
Terrorist activity.
The provision of an emergency plan is in accordance with the Management of Health and Safety at Work
Regulations 1999.
Emergency planning should begin before the commencement of any works on site. The initial emergency
plan may be based on a generic plan adapted to the specific project. As the project progresses it will
generally be necessary to amend the plan to take account of any changes, in particular, if an emergency or
near miss has occurred.
Contents
Some of the basic information that should be included on an emergency plan might include:
Site address.
Evacuation routes.
Types of emergencies.
Hazard identification/assessment
Due to the complex and fast-changing environment of a construction site, it is important that the
assessment of hazards is ongoing. A thorough review of potential hazards may include:
On-site materials.
Confined spaces.
Plant circulation.
Environmental issues.
Working at height.
Once the various hazards have been identified, the following needs to be assessed:
What is the strategy for dealing with the consequences in an emergency situation?
Emergency resources
The emergency plan should identify the emergency resources that can be called upon if necessary, and
estimated response times, based upon distances from fire stations, hospitals, and so on.
The plan should also identify on-site resources such as fire extinguishers, spills containment equipment,
first aid equipment, and so on. On-site first aiders and other medical staff should be identified.
Communication systems
This involves detailing the various communication systems that are in place to enable emergency services to
be contacted without delay. This can be especially critical if the site is in an isolated area that is difficult to
reach. Inclement weather may render communication systems ineffective, and the plan should make clear
the contingency strategy if this is the case. On large sites, emergency phones can be provided.
Any planned procedures must be considered with the expectation that an unfolding situation may change
the conditions and circumstances. The basic steps for emergency response are as follows:
Stay calm.
Provide protection.
Maintain contacts.
The emergency plan should consider how it can be communicated effectively and clearly so that all site
personnel are aware of it. The following steps should be taken to review the plan:
With the owner/client to ensure any site-specific hazards are accounted for.
With health and safety inspectors who may visit the site.
Post-emergency
Planning and preparation should also be made for action post-emergency, as simply returning to work may
not be straight-forward. Professional counselling may be required for those suffering with post-traumatic
stress. In addition, debriefing is necessary to identify how the emergency plan can be improved for the
future.
CDM.
Emergency services.
Near miss.
Risk management.
Safety audit.
Safety briefing.
Safety management.
Toolbox talk.