Evacuation alerting and

Employers, at a minimum, must have an emergency action plan that will facilitate the prompt evacuation of employees when there is an unwanted release of a highly hazardous chemical. This means that the employer s plan will be activated by an alarm system to alert employees when to evacuate, and that employees who are physically impaired will have the necessary support and assistance to get them to a safe zone. The intent of these requirements is to alert and move employees quickly to a safe zone. The use of process control centers or buildings as safe areas is discouraged. Recent catastrophes indicate that lives are lost in these structures because of their location and because they are not necessarily designed to withstand over-pressures from shock waves resulting from explosions in the process area. 

Basic and advanced life-support measures should be utilized as necessary. Treatment is generally symptomatic and supportive. Gastrointestinal evacuation procedures are generally unnecessary. If the patient is alert and able to swallow, milk or water should be immediately offered, stopping if vomiting occurs during administration. Administration of an acidic substance to neutralize sodium hypochlorite is contraindicated. 

Case 2. An officer with 20 years of military service was referred with depressive symptoms. These followed in the wake of a chronic gas mask phobia that had gone untreated for years because the officer had been too ashamed to admit it to anyone. He had remained on the front lines, enduring several gas mask alerts, and was identified when he finally sought assistance. He was eventually evacuated because his depression and phobia could not safely be treated in the desert environment.23(ppA10-A11)... 

Emergency recognition and prevention Safe distances Places of refuge Evacuation routes Site security and control Decontamination procedures Emergency medical treatment and first aid Emergency alerting and response procedures Personal protective equipment (PPE)... 

In the event of emergencies, are specific members of staff designated to alert and assist disabled persons (evacuation assistants) ... 

The selection of liquid sodium hypochlorite rather than chlorine gas is often based on actual or potential costs to address safety issues. The Uniform Fire Code and (DSHA requirements often increase the cost of using chlorine gas. Depending on a number of factors, gas containment and neutralization scrubbers may be needed. Also, there may be limits to storage inventory that require more frequent deliveries. Extensive emergency response plans may include elaborate evacuation plans and alert systems. 

Protective measures iavolve prompt detection and adequate ventilation. Continuous monitoring is recommended to signal an evacuation alarm if the workplace concentration exceeds 70 mg/m (50 ppm) and a warning alert if it is present at 15—70 mg/m (10—50 ppm). 

Hydrocarbon vapors immediately bum with flame temperatures that are considerably higher than that of ordinary combustibles. For this reason damage from a hydrocarbon fire is much more severe than an ordinary combustible fire. The objective of a fire detection for the petroleum industry is to rapidly detect a fire where personnel, high value, and critical equipment may be involved. Once detected executive action is initiated to alert personnel for evacuation and while simultaneously controlling and suppressing the fire incident. 

The crew then evacuated from the control area and alerted local officials to evacuate an area within a two-mile radius of the site. It was 10 P.M. 

Since a steam curtain may activate at any time, warning alarms and signs should be placed to alert personnel who may be in the area to the need for immediate evacuation. Also, personnel who may have to work close to... 

A word of warning the flow rate of water through an aspirator is subject to change, often sudden change, as the water mains pressure fluctuates. This may produce changes in the pressure in the system being evacuated, or even cause suckback of water into the trap bottle. If a constant pressure (especially for reduced-pressure distillation) is required, one must be alert for such changes and be ready to make required adjustments. 

All hospital plans should include provisions for a proportionate response to the arrival of contaminated casualties, with procedures for rapid lock-down and establishing entry and exit restrictions. Most ambulance service plans already provide for sending an immediate alert to all hospitals designated to receive casualties whenever a major incident is declared. Although patients may have already self-evacuated before the emergency services arrive, ambulance plans should also provide for warning all... 

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