Emergency Preparedness and Response: Getting Started General Business Preparedness for General, Construction and Maritime Industries IntroductionEmergencies and disasters can strike anywhere and at any time bringing workplace injuries and illnesses with them. Employers and workers may be required to deal with an emergency when it is least expected and proper planning before an emergency is necessary to respond effectively.This webpage is designed to help workers and employers plan for that possibility. The best way to protect workers is to expect the unexpected and to carefully develop an emergency action plan to guide everyone in the workplace when immediate action is necessary. Planning in advance helps ensure that everyone knows what to do when an emergency occurs.
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The Emergency Response Unit responds 24 hours per day to emergencies that result from accidental and deliberate discharges and uncontrolled releases of.
What is a workplace emergency?A workplace emergency is a situation that threatens workers, customers, or the public; disrupts or shuts down operations; or causes physical or environmental damage. Emergencies may be natural or man-made, and may include hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, wildfires, winter weather, chemical spills or releases, disease outbreaks, releases of biological agents, explosions involving nuclear or radiological sources, and many other hazards. Many types of emergencies can be anticipated in the planning process, which can help employers and workers plan for other unpredictable situations.The provides a listing of all of the specific hazards for which the Agency currently has information available on its website, as well as links to general emergency preparedness and response guidance. What are OSHA's requirements for emergencies?Some key OSHA requirements for emergencies can be found in the following sections of standards for general industry , construction , and maritime (, and ). The table may not list all standards that apply to all situations. The following table is best viewed on a tablet or pc.
Means of EgressGeneral IndustryConstructionMaritime (Shipyards, Marine Terminals, and Longshoring)Hazardous Materials, Process safety management of highly hazardous chemicals. For requirements as they pertain to construction work, follow the requirements in.Personal Protective EquipmentGeneral Environmental ControlsMedical and First AidFire Protection/Toxic and Hazardous Substances/Additional OSHA standards may apply. The provides a complete list of OSHA standards by industry. What other OSHA standards address emergency planning requirements?Several OSHA standards address emergency planning requirements, including;; Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) ; Fire Brigades ; and Permit-Required Confined Spaces (, 29 CFR 1926.1211)., provides a broad overview of emergency planning requirements in OSHA standards.Employers should also be familiar with the consensus standards of the, and other standards-setting organizations, as these may provide additional recommendations and requirements about emergency planning. The NFPA develops, publishes, and disseminates hundreds of consensus codes and standards intended to minimize the possibility and effects of fire and other risks. Virtually every building, process, service, design, and installation in society today is affected by NFPA documents. NFPA codes and standards are adopted and used throughout the world.
For more information about NFPA and their codes and standards, visit their website at. What is an emergency action plan?An emergency action plan (EAP) is intended to facilitate and organize employer and worker actions during workplace emergencies and is recommended for all employers. Well-developed emergency plans and proper worker training (i.e., so that workers understand their roles and responsibilities within the plan) will result in fewer and less severe worker injuries and less damage to the facility during emergencies. A poorly prepared plan may lead to a disorganized evacuation or emergency response, resulting in confusion, injury, illness (due to chemical, biological and/or radiation exposure), and/or property damage.Two OSHA standards ( and ) require written EAPs. Not all employers are required to establish an EAP (see section titled 'Am I required to have an Emergency Action Plan (EAP)' to see if your business is required), but developing an EAP is a good way to protect workers and businesses during an emergency.
Emergency preparedness is a well-known concept in protecting workers' safety and health.Putting together a comprehensive emergency action plan involves conducting a hazard assessment to determine what, if any, physical or chemical hazards inside or from outside the workplaces could cause an emergency. The plan should describe how workers will respond to different types of emergencies, taking into account specific worksite layouts, structural features, and emergency systems. If there is more than one worksite, each site should have an emergency action plan.Most organizations find it beneficial to include a diverse group of representatives (management, workers, local health departments and agencies, and public safety officials/members) in this planning process and to meet frequently to review progress and allocate development tasks. Outside representatives from federal, state and local agencies may be able to assist organizations with incorporating other requirements or guidelines into their EAPs. The commitment and support of all workers and employers is critical to the plan's success in the event of an emergency; ask for worker input in developing and implementing an EAP. For smaller organizations with 10 or fewer workers, the plan does not need to be written and may be communicated orally (General Industry Standard -, Construction Industry Standard - ).
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ERU drinking water specialists taking water sample.After a disaster, the local Red Cross Society immediately responds by assessing the situation. If the local Society decides they can't handle it themselves they send a request to the Red Cross Headquarters in Geneva.The Headquarters quickly deploys a FACT-Team and sends a request to the national societies which provide ERUs.
This request is to assess how much staff is available for a mission into the affected country and if they can deploy a whole unit, only personnel or only materials.After about 24 hours, the ERU providing societies and the FACT-Team reports to the headquarters. Now the International Red Cross decides which units will be sent and also the composition of the units. For example, IFRC decides to send a supplied Water and Sanitation unit, consisting of two members from Austria who lead the unit, a specialist from Sweden, and two from Spain.Now the staff from the other countries will be flown to the leading country.
Meanwhile, the leading country handles the logistics of travelling to the affected area. They secure a transport plane and manage the paperwork, including visa, customs and funding.Upon arrival, all team members get a briefing about the general situation, safety situation and also cultural adaption.
Typical deployment time is about four to seven days.The duration is about five weeks until the next rotation of ERU members arrives and overtake the operation. An ERU deployment normally has a maximum of six month, because after that normally the mission becomes more and more the character of rebuilding.Because normally the mission is funded of donation which is committed to the disaster and after six month it's hard to argue that the situation is still an impact of the disaster.
Most the time rebuild projects will be started after that.It is also common that the equipment stay in the country, because the transport back would be more expensive and in most cases at the end of the mission the national staff is perfectly trained. So that, if a disaster happens again, they can immediately start to help.Specific units FACT-Team FACT-Teams can be deployed within 24 hours and comprise highly trained and experienced disaster managers. They report to headquarters in a very detailed way, how the situation is and what kind of support the national organisation needs.(In fact, FACT-Teams are not an ERU-Unit, but are a very important part of the disaster relief system.)IT and Telecom Are deployed to establish local communication networks and ensure the information system in the operation works. They also responsible to assist the national society with its communication systems.
They are using field proven technology like satellite phone systems, high frequency (HF) and very high frequency (VHF) radio systems. Water and sanitation.
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ERU drinking water specialists building a water distribution system.Clear drinking water and hygiene training are two key aspects of working hygiene. Summary of ERU-Units retrieved 2010 Austria The teams specialised on Water and Sanitation and IT and Telecom and are highly experienced. Canada units work in the fields of Basic Health Care and Referral Hospital.Germany units work in the field of Basic Health Care, Referral Hospital, and Water and Sanitation.Other countries The following countries also have complete ERU-Units:, and, and the.Additionally, and support relief efforts with trained staff members.References.
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