Emergency preparedness programs elements

The process of careful, structured analysis and evaluation used to eliminate hazards during design and construction will also allow a chemical facility to accurately predict unplanned events that may create emergencies, and to effectively prepare to manage them should they occur. A comprehensive emergency preparedness program has all of these elements prevention, prediction, and preparation. 

Central to all emergency preparedness programs is a written emergency response plan (ERP). An ERP obviously is a key element of emergency preparedness, yet it is only one procedural part of a systematic process that includes the following sequential steps ... 

Program Elements 1. Written policy, purpose, scope Statement of objectives Standards compliance Responsibility/accountability assigned Implementation activities A. Training/certification Written procedures Hazardous operations Hazardous materials Hazardous operations permits Personal protective program Mishap/near-miss investigations Mishap/near-miss records and reports Fire/explosion safety Emergency preparedness Procurement and subcontract safety Safety representatives on-site Implementation of supplemental requirements... 

Another example is the Awareness and Preparedness for Emergencies at Local Level (APELL) program, also launched in 1988. APELL was originally based on the Community Awareness and Emergency Response (CAER) program, which later became part of the chemical industry s Responsible Care initiative. It includes elements of the EU Seveso Directive and the U.S. Right-to-Know initiative (UNEP, 1997). 

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