Development of an Emergency Response Plan

An emergency response plan is absolutely necessary to ensure continued reliable project performance, to prepare for rapid response to any unanticipated shutdown caused by mechanical breakdown or accident, and especially to provide formal communication lines among all affected parties in a timely manner. A coherent plan is essential for compliance with ASCE Code Canon 1. 

There are three major types of emergency response plans. All three listed below involve a great deal of communication and coordination, whether on-site, within the corporate office, or among users and the public  

Waterways Action Plans (WAPs)------These plans are currently being 

FIGURE 8-2. Lock 19 Major Maintenance Work. Courtesy of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 

These plans will be consolidated into one concise plan, with annexes for each river system within the western rivers. There have been numerous action plans in the past but they have not included all of the western rivers the plans had different terminology and the plans did not fully address each of the possible river extremes. The WAPs will establish common framework for proactive and reactive efforts, ensure safety of life and navigation, provide protection of infrastructure, and prevent marine casualties during periods of high water, high velocity, low water, and ice. 

---

The interconnectedness of the elements can be illustrated by considering the development of an Emergency Response Plan, in which the following sequence of actions— involving seven of the elements shown in Table 1.4—may occur. 

A suitable fire alarm system is a Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) requirement. It is mentioned here because of its importance in emergency preparedness and in development of an emergency response plan. 

Elements of an emergency response plan. The employer shall develop an emergency response plan for emergencies which shall address, as a minimum, the following to the extent that they are not addressed elsewhere ... 

The Chemical Manufacturers Association (CMA) Community Awareness and Emergency Response (CAER) program provides comprehensive guidelines for the development and implementation of an emergency response plan. The CAER program has been expanded to include all aspects of the chemical industry in an initiative called Responsible Care. 

An emergency response plan should be developed in order to delineate how a facility responds to an emergency. The first aspect of the plan is an inventory of the chemical, physical, and biological hazards associated with the facility. The list could include the storage, use, or transportation of hazardous materials, hazardous wastes, and hazardous substances. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration... 

Response A contingent plan should be developed while the confirmation is taking place. This should include the release of precautionary notices and readiness to implement an emergency response plan. Should a biological threat be confirmed, a procedure (planned and practiced) should be implemented for remedial action. This would include authority and public notification, containment, and/or diversion of the water, and medical alert and response. 

As an alternate or addition to scenario assessments, simulated exercises or dry-runs could be developed to test the effectiveness of the new organization. This could be similar to table-top exercises commonly run by companies to test the effectiveness of the emergency response plans as well as the use of process simulators to test response of operations personnel to process upsets. The assessment should verify that individuals can complete their critical safety responsibilities in a reasonable amount of time. 

In many states, local agencies are required by law to prepare an emergency response plan. A failure to prepare a plan could leave a community open to claims. Emergency plans that are out of date, have not been based on realistic assumptions, inflate capabilities, do not involve all operations areas and functions of governmental entities, or are not fully developed may form the basis for a claim. It may be more difficult to recover from a local jurisdiction in a suit based on a failure to prepare, maintain, or exercise a good plan. The court would have to determine if the local community fulfilled its duty when the plan required by law was determined inadequate in a disaster. 

Emergency response plan. An emergency response plan shall be developed and implemented to handle anticipated emergencies prior to the commencement of emergency response operations. The plan shall be In writing and available for inspection and copying by employees, their representatives and OSHA... 

Each day, schools across this nation must be prepared for potential hazards and situations that may arise. Preparing an emergency response requires many actions in various areas. These actions of planning and preparation are vital to the success of any emergency response in which you will engage. Each school district must develop an emergency response plan that is individualized to their specific location and identified hazards, as well as those hazards that exist for all entities. 

The complete plan includes detailed information about the mine and the surface operations. Portions of the plan are included below as examples of how an emergency response plan is developed. 

---