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This article presents best practices for establishing an emergency response team developed through the author's experience evaluating emergency response systems at multiple companies that lacked formal operation plans for their response teams.
Many articles about emergency response plans (ERP) or action plans outline the elements of the plan as required by OSHA. However, plans based solely on these requirements will lack a practical method of managing the emergency. This article is about creating and developing an emergency response team (ERT) from the start that is comprised of employees who will work at ground level to manage all emergencies at the workplace with the OSH professional. This article lays the foundation for building an effective, self-functioning ERT. It is not intended for industrial fire brigades or departments that fall under OSHA 1910.156 requiring training such as fire training schools.
Of the five employers in the author s career, each had little or no functional operation plan for its response team. As the safety professional for these employers, the author implemented an emergency response program that created a team of responders able to handle all on-site emergencies. That program proved so effective that it was also adopted by sister plants, for a total of seven locations using these same best practices.
When considering best practices, the fire department sets the standard for emergency management day-to-day. By following those best practices, a company can achieve the same goals. In a simple assessment of the personnel on a fire truck, compare the personnel that an industrial ERT may need based on assessment, such as:
Fire department Industrial ERT
EMT/paramedic = Medical responder
Firefighter = HazMat
Captain = Incident commander
Using this comparison, we can set up a framework for a functional ERT to include the ERP and required regulations, standards, practices, training and personnel needed in parallel with the fire department, but limiting it to the best practice functional needs of the company. This assessment will include chemicals used, equipment, behaviors, environment, human factors and business history, such as personal medical issues and emergency incident potential, as well as any regulations that apply. Most companies will have some employees trained in first aid, CPR or the use of fire extinguishers. This may be enough, but even so, a...