Response Plan and Operations

Emergency Response Plan

Implement a plan that includes procedures and practices for hurricane preparedness, response and recovery that is site-specific to the facility or location. The plan should be reviewed and updated at least annually to ensure it is current with all operations. The plan should also include employee training and exercise drills. 

Best Practices

Worksite Evaluation and Assessment

  • Assess the work site for safety and health hazards such as falls, electrical, noise and other hazards.

Hierarchy of Controls

  • Eliminate or substitute hazards whenever possible.
  • Use of engineering controls to reduce or minimize the hazards.
  • Implement procedures to reduce hazards with work practice and administrative controls.
  • If hazards can not be eliminated or reduced sufficiently, personal protective equipment should be used.

Work Practices, Controls and Procedures

  • Establish engineering controls and work practices that are site-specific.
  • Identify evacuation routes and alerting systems (communication procedures).
  • Ensure fire protection systems and equipment are provided and maintained.
  • Have emergency response procedures; including medical and fist aid procedures.
  • Establish procedures for controlling waste such as trash and garbage.
  • Identify procedures for response and recovery operations.
  • Conduct emergency response exercises and drills routinely.
  • Conduct daily job briefings before and after each day, and as needed through out the day during emergency response and recovery operations.   

Personal Protective Equipment

  • Conduct a hazard assessment to identify appropriate PPE for the hazards.
    • i.e., Foot protection, eye protection, hand protection, hearing protection, high-visibility apparel, head protection, and respiratory protection.
  • Ensure the PPE properly fits the employee.
  • Provide training on PPE before being used.
  • PPE should be kept clean and maintained.  

Exposure Monitoring

  • Consider all possible chemical exposures before, during and after a hurricane.
  • During response and recovery operations, some areas may need task-specific exposure monitoring.
  • Monitoring can verify the adequacy of hazard control methods that have been implemented or the need to do hazard control methods.
  • Monitoring can resolve employee complaints or concerns regarding potential exposures.

Sanitation

  • Ensure adequate and sanitary water supplies (i.e.; bottled water).
  • Hand sanitation provided and maintained.  
  • Procedures for regular waste management of trash and garbage.
  • Provide and use insect repellant.
  • Ensure adequate first aid supplies.
  • Prompt first aid for minor cuts and scrapes.
  • Ensure clean and sanitary toilet facilities.

Training 

  • Include a review of the plan and procedures.
  • Appropriate use of PPE; donning, doffing, cleaning, maintaining, inspecting, storing, and limitations.
  • Should include job and task-specific, as well as site specific (i.e., lockout/tagout).
  • Practice emergency response drills and exercises to ensure competence.
  • Include general information for awareness of hazards, conditions and work to be performed.