Efficient Plant June 2020 - 13

feature | plant safety
building entrances, emergency-equipment locations, and locations
of controls for building utility and protection systems. Instructions
for operating all systems and equipment should be accessible to
emergency first responders. Any questions concerning these plans
should be directed to the Environment, Health, and Safety (EH&S)
and Human Resource managers.

DOCUMENT CONTENT
These items should be included in any emergency-preparedness
plan:
 Notifications: All employees should be familiar with alarms and
communication systems. Review plans with staff to ensure they understand their role and can carry out assigned responsibilities. Conduct
evacuation, sheltering, sheltering-in-place, and lockdown drills so
employees will recognize the alarm sounds used to warn them.
Any employee, upon discovering an emergency situation, should
immediately notify other employees in the area and relay any and
all relevant information to the designated HR and/or EH&S person.
Appropriate outside emergency first responders should be contacted
as quickly and safely as possible, if required.
 Evacuation: Include in the plan a policy that states all employees and
visitors must evacuate the premises in case of fire or another emergency
and follow specific instructions on where to exit and gather outside to
facilitate an accurate head count. This system should provide warning
for necessary emergency action and sufficient time for safe exit.
Every plan must provide clear visual information of the primary
and secondary exit routes. This information should be posted generously throughout all facilities. All exits should remain unlocked and
unobstructed during working hours.
Should evacuation be deemed necessary by the police, employees
should follow these evacuation procedures:
» All employees should exit the building in a calm manner using the
exit nearest to them.
» All employees should report to the designated area on the facilities
layout.
» Department managers or their designees will be responsible for conducting a head count and reporting attendance to the Safety Committee. Also account for temporary personnel.
» If you suspect a co-worker is still in the building, report this to a
member of the Safety Committee, who will inform the public emergency first responders.
» Remain at the designated gathering area until emergency first
responders or authorized management announce that re-entry is safe.
In the event that a fire is discovered:
» If it is a very small fire, personnel who are trained in the use of fire
extinguishers should attempt to extinguish it.

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» If there is any doubt about extinguishing the fire, contact your security department and/or call 911.
» All employees should exit the building in a calm manner using the
nearest exit.
» All employees should report to the appropriate emergency evacuation checkpoint.
» Department managers or their designees are responsible for taking a
head count, including temporary personnel, and reporting attendance
to the Safety Committee.
» Concerns that someone is still in the building should be reported to
a member of the Safety Committee who will inform the fire department upon arrival.
» Employees should remain at the emergency-evacuation checkpoint
until told it is safe to re-enter.
If severe weather conditions arise:
» The Safety Committee will monitor changing weather conditions.
» When the sirens sound or an announcement has been made, all
employees are to evacuate to a designated safe area as shown on the
visible/readily available facility layout.
» During severe weather warnings, authorized and trained employees
will monitor National Weather Service broadcasts.
» Employees are to remain in the designated safe area until authorized
personnel make an "all clear" announcement.
 Injury: If an injury occurs, follow these guidelines:
» Depending on the severity, the appropriate person should call 911 to
summon emergency medical technicians. In the case of severe injury-unconsciousness, blunt trauma, excessive bleeding, heart attack,
etc.-this call will be made immediately.
» Someone should stay with the injured employee while first aid is
being administered. Try to comfort the employee through the ordeal.
» Assist the first-aid responders and emergency medical technicians by
giving a complete history of how the injury or accident occurred.
When emergency preparedness is involved, it is better to be proactive rather than reactive, whether an event is expected or not. Always
expect the unexpected, with employee safety top of mind, by maintaining an updated, well-structured, accessible plan. EP
Shirley L. Wilkinson, QSSP, has served as Divisional Safety & Industrial Products Specialist at Motion Industries, Birmingham, AL
(motionindustries.com), for more than six years. Wilkinson's certifications include but are not limited to: QSSP (Qualified Safety Sales
Professional), OSHA 30, Competent Person Fall Protection; Forklift
Train the Trainer; DOT HazMat; First Aid, CPR, AED; MSHA Parts
46 & 48; Six Sigma White Belt; and Respirator Qualitative Fit Test. For
more information, visit the Motion Industries Safety Specialist website
at: tinyurl.com/yadtyx38.
EFFICIENTPLANTMAG.COM |

5/27/20 4:53 PM

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Efficient Plant June 2020

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