Emergency response teams levels

Emergency response training should be provided to all facility personnel. The level and detail of the training will depend on their role and responsibilities. Eor example, an office clerk may only need to be trained in how to report a fire and in the evacuation procedure. An operator who is a member of the emergency response team will require significantly more training. 

In order to provide the proper equipment to the emergency response team, a complete review of the chemical and physical hazards and the function to be performed by the hazardous materials responder should be done. This review will allow the selection of the proper PPE and response equipment. OSHA, in 29 CFR 1910.120 appendix A, describes four basic levels of protection for the hazardous materials emergency responder ... 

Five levels of emergency response team members, hazard identification, evacuation, notification, hazard recognition, personal protective equipment, control and containment, and decontamination. 

There are two levels of key-access to interior doors. One master key allows access to all interior doors except offices, the other includes office access. The former is issued to all technical staff members, the Director and the Managing Director. The latter is only issued to the Facility Manager, the Building Manager, and the Emergency Response Team. 

Members of an emergency response team will go through training, which at the awareness level provides ... 

The hazardous substances used at your site determine the level of PPE and clothing. Emergency response team members receive necessary instruction and training on PPE and clothing. 

The audit includes a review of the process safety information, inspection of the physical facilities, and interviews with all levels of plant personnel. Using the procedures and checklist, the team systematically analyzes compliance with the PSM Rule and any other relevant corporate policies. The training program is reviewed for adequacy of content, frequency and effectiveness of training. Interviews determine employee knowledge and awareness ofthe safety procedures, duties, rules, and emergency response assignments. The team identifies deficiencies in the application of safety and health policies, procedures, and work authorization practices to determine live actions. 

An emergency response incident that involves the release of any chemicals or toxic materials will typically be referred to as a HAZMAT incident. The response to a HAZMAT incident is somewhat standardized across the country, and specialized HAZMAT teams are called in to address these situations. HAZMAT teams are typically affiliated with the fire services and will possess a majority of the locality s chemical detection equipment. Emergency medical responders arriving on the scene must first be capable of determining that a HAZMAT incident has occurred. These first responders are the individuals responsible for determining whether the HAZMAT team should be called for assistance. Responders may have different levels of training and preparedness for HAZMAT response (see Table 25.2). 

Someone at this level can also serve as a team leader in special areas such as emergency response. 

Some would add Emergency Response as being a sixth level of safeguard. However, if the event has reached the point where fire teams and other emergency responders are needed, the process is out of control—the incident has occurred. 

At the conclusion of the exercise, the team critiques its own performance and identifies deficiencies in the collective response to the emergency. To increase the stress level on the team, the instructor can update the emergency more frequently, increase its complexity, or complicate the situation by adding more factors, such as ... 

For purposes of this report, we differentiate four levels of medical intervention, primarily on the basis of proximity to the precipitating event or initial victims. Response to a distinct, immediately recognizable terrorist incident (as opposed to a covert release of an agent whose effects would not be apparent for hours or days) would, in most instances, be initiated by law enforcement or fire and rescue personnel, followed at some point by a hazardous materials (Hazmat) team and emergency medical technicians. This is the group referred to in Table 1-1 as "Local Responders." In the same table, "Initial Treatment Facilities" refers to the fixed-site medical facilities to which victims might initially be transported (or transport themselves) or that might initially be called upon for assistance by victims or personnel on the scene. Under "State" in the table, we... 

---