Occupational Health and Safety, OHS-1023 Module #7

Emergency Management
 Learning Objectives
– Name the basic elements of an emergency plan and key players who
should be involved in development.
– Name the basic requirements of a good emergency evacuation plan
– Define Emergency
– define an emergency
– describe the concept of an emergency plan
– explain the necessity of having emergency and evacuation plans

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 Introduction
• Recent examples of
emergencies:
– 1998 ice storm in Ontario and
Quebec
– September 11, 2001 events
– Anthrax-related scares
– Outbreak of SARS in Canadian
cities
– Predicted H1N1 pandemic of 2009
– Hurricane Juan in Nova Scotia in
2003
– Fort McMurray wildfire in 2016

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 Why is Emergency Response important?

• Emergencies can and will occur due to human and natural causes1
– Some incidences cannot be prevented
• For example, weather related incidences cannot be prevented, but their impacts
can be mitigated; process related incidences can be prevented
• Advanced planning improves response during the initial period of
confusion when an emergency occurs 1
– Reduce negative impact by responding appropriately and quickly
• Emergency preparedness accelerates recovery2

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 Why is Emergency Response important?

• With an emergency response plan in place, the organization

is in a better position to address 2:
– Safety of employees and the public
– The protection of property and the environment
– Financial impacts of the emergency on the business

"Although the primary emphasis should be on prevention rather

than on reactive or emergency response measures, the very
nature of human activity dictates that emergencies can and will
occur“
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 Organizational Response
• First: Local emergency organizations (e.g., municipal
emergency services, emergency measures organizations)
respond

• Second: Each province and territory has an emergency

measures organization (EMO) that is tasked with
managing large-scale emergencies

• Lastly: The federal government and its agencies may

become involved in emergency response efforts,
depending on the nature of the disaster

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 Organizational Response
• Organizations must consider possibility of a disaster
– Potential for loss is very high

• Safety programs need a planned response to threat of disaster

• Two central aspects of emergency planning in organizations:

– Emergency preparedness
– Response to emergency

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 Emergency Preparedness
• Emergency: a sudden, generally unexpected occurrence or
set of circumstances demanding immediate action
• Concerned with emergencies that either cause, or threaten
to cause, the loss of or damage to life or property
• Emergencies can be:
– Naturally occurring (e.g., disease epidemics, weather)
– Caused by humans (e.g., explosions, accidents, fires,
chemical and oil spills, riots, terrorism, and acts of
workplace violence)

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 Emergency Preparedness
• Emergency planning involves:
– Anticipating and planning for emergencies
– Putting plans into action as needed and then:
• Getting back to work
• Refining plans in light of new learning
• Emergency plan goals:
– Reduce injuries and property damage
– Restore organization to its normal operations

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 Five-Stage Crisis Management Model

Signal Damage
Preparation Recovery Learning
Detection Containment

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 Emergency Preparedness
Five-Stage Crisis Management Process

• Stage 1: Signal Detection

• Targeted at prevention
• Recognizing an emergency is possible or imminent

• Stage 2: Preparation
• Senior management adopts a crisis management mindset
• Creation of a response plan
• Introduction of response training

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 Emergency Preparedness
• Stage 3: Damage Containment
• Consumes most crisis-management resources
• Literature on organizational communication, organizational support, employee
assistance programs (EAPs), stress interventions focuses largely on activities at
this stage
• Stage 4: Recovery
• Involves developing short- and long-term plans to resume normal business
• Stage 5: Learning
• Assessing the incident with a view to improving operations and procedures

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 Emergency Preparedness
• Pre-contact stage: Assessing hazards and planning potential
responses
• Contact stage: Evacuation, caring for the injured, and ensuring
emergency response
• Post-contact: Dealing with emotional trauma of an emergency
and issues regarding the orderly return to work

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 Precontact
• Necessary elements in managing emergencies include:
– Emergency plan
– Hazard evaluation
– Fire plan
– Evacuation plan
– Authorities
– Supplies and drills

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 Precontact
• Hazard Evaluation:
– HR and safety professionals evaluate the hazards that could cause an
emergency (e.g., storage of flammable solvents near static electricity or
ignition sources)
• Emergency Response Plan should be written, published, and
posted
– There must be good alarm facilities with emergency communication
devices, and everyone in the plant must be familiar with their locations
and use

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 Precontact
• Evacuation Plan
– Evacuating employees and clients in the event of a major emergency or
disaster is a key element in emergency preparedness
• Every worker in the plant must know exactly where to congregate
when the need arises and be aware of at least two evacuation
routes
• There should be well-marked, unobstructed evacuation paths with
well-lit exits

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 Precontact
Evacuation Plan
1. The site must be divided into small, related areas. The workers in
each area must be identified and trained to recognize and remember
workers who are not part of their section.
2. Outside the building and away from any roadways there should be
assembly points that allow for the movement of emergency vehicles.
3. Once every employee has been accounted for and the extent of the
emergency has been determined, employees can be instructed to
return to work or to go home and report when called.

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 Precontact
Evacuation Plan
4. Any critical equipment or process that may increase
the overall risk of the emergency should be
addressed.
5. The end of the emergency can be called only by the
senior person responsible for the operation’s
emergency procedures.
6. A post-evacuation assessment must be done to
identify problems in the evacuation plan. Remedial
measures can then be taken.

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 Emergency Plan
• Notification of Authorities:
– Companies should be aware of any legislative requirements such as notifying the
Ministry of Labour, police, etc.
• Supplies:
– Emergency first-line equipment such as fire extinguishers must be in well-defined,
easily accessible locations
• Drills:
– Regular emergency drills, with the occasional unannounced drill to keep everyone
current and knowledgeable, are a standard part of most plans
– Rehearsals are an important part of training
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 Contact
• Fire plan
– Same characteristics as the main emergency plan
– Fire gets out of control and a full-blown emergency results
– A group of workers must be trained in firefighting techniques and be part
of the plant’s fire brigade

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 Contact

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 Contact

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Fire has four stages:
1. Incipient stage: A source of ignition and fuel come together

2. Smouldering stage: Fuel, oxygen, and heat are present and

are causing the heat to rise through limited chain reaction

3. Free-burning stage: Stage at which flames first appear

4. Uncontrolled fire stage: Fire is out of control and major

property damage is under way

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 Contact

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 Contact
• Considerations when developing a fire prevention program:
1. Structural design: Standards for the construction of buildings are
detailed in the federal and provincial or territorial fire codes, as well
as in fire marshal and building codes and regulations
2. Barriers: Walls and floors can delay or prevent the spread of fire
3. Detection and suppression: Most buildings have a detection system
that senses heat and smoke
4. Storage: Combustible materials should be rated and stored in
separate or isolated areas

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 Contact

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 Postcontact
• Stress
– One approach to crisis response is critical incident stress debriefing
(CISD)
• Focused on providing victims with an opportunity to discuss experiences and
reactions to a traumatic event
• May involve psychologists providing assistance immediately following a traumatic
event

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 Postcontact
• Getting Back to Normal
– Not as straightforward as a return to work
– Individuals may continue to experience stress reactions
– Individuals may also continue to live with the effects of the emergency
(e.g., damaged housing, loss of income, transportation) long after its
acute phase has passed
– Employers should display tolerance
– Adjusting to normal work may take some time

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 Video Link

• Emergency Preparedness
– This video, “Expect the Unexpected,” talks about potential
emergency situations in the workplace, emphasizing that
workers should be trained to handle emergencies and sho
uld periodically be tested
(15min, 52sec)

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