Emergency Action Plan

DOE-EM-STD-5503-94

12.0. EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN

12.1. BACKGROUND

Not all EM-40 sites have the organizational capability for responding to emergencies. Most

organizations at EM-40 sites should, in fact, evacuate employees and only perform such

activities as emergency shut-down or first aid/CPR. Therefore, it is not necessary for these sites

to prepare an emergency response plan. Instead, these sites should prepare an Emergency Action

Plan (EAP) that meets the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.38(a).

The EAP should describe those actions to be taken to assure safety from fire, hurricanes,

blizzards, toxic chemical releases, floods, and other emergencies. The Plan should be totally

integrated and coordinated with the landlord's emergency response plan, and should contain, at a

minimum, the following elements:

Emergency escape procedures, and emergency escape route assignments;

Procedures to ensure that all contractors on site coordinate their EAPs to prevent conflicts

and confusion;

Procedures to be followed by personnel who stay behind to conduct critical operations

(i.e., shutdown) before they evacuate;

Procedures to account for all employees after emergency evacuation has been completed;

Rescue and medical duties (first aid, CPR, etc.) for those individuals who are to perform

them;

Methods for reporting fires and other emergencies;

Names and phone numbers of personnel and organizations to be contacted for further

information or explanation of duties under the Plan;

Alarm system to be used to alert personnel to the emergency/evacuation;

Training each employee should receive in order to effectively carry out the requirements

of the EAP, and the methods for evaluating employee knowledge of the plan;

Fire prevention plan; and

Procedures for the review and update of the Plan (e.g., schedule, rehearsal).

12.2. EMERGENCY ESCAPE ROUTE ASSIGNMENT

This section of the EAP should contain the information necessary for the safe, orderly evacuation

of site employees. The contents of this section should focus on the procedures for evacuation

and the establishment of emergency escape routes. Primary and alternate routes to be used for

the evacuation of personnel should be established.

The following guidelines should be used in establishing safe emergency evacuation routes:

Routes should be directed from the Exclusion Zone, through an upwind Contamination

Reduction Zone to a Support Zone, and from the Support Zone to an offsite location,

should conditions require a general site evacuation;

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