Emergencies can happen at any time. The most effective way to handle a crisis situation is to prepare in advance by creating an Emergency Action Plan. The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) even requires written Emergency Action Plans for many businesses, and specific businesses have additional regulations due to their part in the country’s infrastructure or their handling of hazardous materials. Beyond that, there are many reasons for having a solid preparedness program.
Putting together a comprehensive emergency action plan that deals with those issues specific to your worksite is not difficult. It involves taking what was learned from your workplace evaluation and describing how employees will respond to different types of emergencies, taking into account your specific worksite layout, structural features, and emergency systems.
To help get you started, we are providing a template from the CDC. Emergency Action Plans (EAP) are living documents and should be reviewed and updated at least once a year.
As part of your EAP, don’t forget to get certified in first aid and CPR!
Click Here for an Emergency Action Plan Template
For Additional Resources, please visit the CDC webpage devoted to emergency preparedness: