What is an EAP? Should we have an EAP for a medical clinic that has six employees?

An Emergency Action Plan or EAP is a set of actions that an employer would take to ensure the safety of his/her employees during an emergency. Here are the OSHA standards that require EAPs:

• Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals - 1910.119

• Fixed Extinguishing Systems, General -1910.160

• Fire Detection Systems, 1910.164

• Grain Handling - 1910.272

• Ethylene Oxide - 1910.1047

• Methylenedianiline - 1910.1050

• 1,3-Butadiene - 1910.1051

The minimum elements of an emergency action plan are:

  1. 1. Procedures for reporting fires and other emergencies.

  2. 2. Procedures for emergency evacuation, including the type of evacuation and exit route assignments.

  3. 3. Procedures for employees who stay behind to continue any important facility operations.

  4. 4. Procedures to account for all employees after evacuation.

  5. 5 Procedures for employees performing rescue or medical duties.

  6. 6. Name or job title of employees to contact for detailed plan information.

  7. 7. Alarm system to alert workers.

In addition, you must designate and train employees to assist in a safe and orderly evacuation of other employees. You must also review the emergency action plan with each employee covered when the following occur:

  1. 1. Plan is initially developed or an employee is first assigned to a job.

  2. 2. Employee’s responsibilities under the plan changes or the plan is otherwise changed.

According to OSHA, if you have 10 or fewer employees, you may communicate your plan orally. If you have more than 10 employees, however, your plan must be written, kept in the workplace, and available for employee review. Although employers only need to have a written emergency action plan (EAP) when the applicable OSHA standard requires it, OSHA strongly recommends that all employers have an EAP.

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