What this is
What is an emergency response plan?
What is an emergency response plan?
A documented plan covering the emergency scenarios credible at a site, the actions to be taken, the roles and responsibilities assigned, how people are accounted for, how the emergency is communicated internally and externally, and how the plan is tested and revised.
What does OSHA require in an emergency action plan?
Under 1910.38: procedures for reporting a fire or other emergency, for emergency evacuation including type and exit route assignments, for employees who remain to operate critical operations before evacuating, for accounting for all employees after evacuation, for those performing rescue or medical duties, and the name or job title of contacts for further information.
Scope
When is an emergency response plan required?
This is the site plan. Specific scenario procedures and supporting arrangements sit under it.
Use this template when
- Documenting credible emergency scenarios and the response to each
- Assigning roles, responsibilities and accountability arrangements
- Establishing internal and external communication including notification of authorities
- Planning and recording drills and exercises across shifts and conditions
- Reviewing after an incident, a drill, a site change or a change in occupancy
Do not use it for
- Fire risk assessment, which assesses the fire hazard and is a separate legal instrument in several jurisdictions
- Specific scenario procedures, such as ammonia release or confined space rescue, which sit beneath the plan
- Business continuity and recovery planning, which addresses what happens after the emergency
- First aid and medical arrangements, which are their own provision
- Spill response procedures, which have their own regulatory reporting obligations
Compliance mapping
Which OSHA 1910.38 requirements does this satisfy?
Emergency planning obligations appear in a general standard and in every management system standard.
| Clause | Requirement | Where it lands |
|---|---|---|
| 29 CFR 1910.38(c) | Minimum elements: reporting, evacuation procedures and route assignments, critical operations, accounting for employees, rescue and medical duties, contacts | Roles and arrangements |
| 29 CFR 1910.38(e) | Employee alarm system complying with 1910.165 | Communication and external |
| 29 CFR 1910.38(f) | Training of employees designated to assist in safe and orderly evacuation | Roles and arrangements |
| 29 CFR 1910.120(q) | Emergency response to hazardous substance releases, including incident command and training levels | Scenarios covered |
| ISO 45001 cl.8.2 | Emergency preparedness and response: planning, periodic testing, revision after testing and after incidents | Header |
| ISO 14001 cl.8.2 | Emergency preparedness and response for environmental consequences | Scenarios covered |
| NFPA 1600 | Standard on continuity, emergency and crisis management, providing programme structure | Supporting documents |
| ISO 45001 cl.8.1.4 | Coordination with contractors, whose people are on site during emergencies | Roles and arrangements |
What it does not cover
- Fire risk assessment, a separate legal instrument in several jurisdictions.
- Scenario-specific procedures such as ammonia release or confined space rescue.
- Business continuity and recovery planning, addressing what happens afterwards.
- First aid provision, which is a separate arrangement with its own requirements.
- Environmental spill response, with its own notification thresholds and timescales.
How to complete it
How to complete an emergency response plan, step by step
Cover the credible scenarios, assign roles to positions, and test the conditions you have not tested.
Fire and evacuation appear in every plan. What varies is the process: a refrigerant release, a confined space casualty, a silo fire, a rack collapse, a chemical reaction, a vehicle in the building. The credible list comes from the risk assessments, and the scenario nobody has considered is usually the one specific to the operation.
Shift supervisor, senior person present, control room operator. Roles assigned to named individuals fail on holidays, sickness and shift patterns, and the emergency does not check the rota. Where a role requires specific training, the number trained needs to cover every shift pattern rather than the headcount.
Accounting for all employees after evacuation is an explicit requirement, and it is the element most likely to fail. Contractors, visitors, agency staff and people who left early are all in the count. Where the answer depends on a signing-in book, test it with visitors on site and time how long a definitive answer takes.
Night shift, weekend, reduced staffing, poor weather, a blocked primary route, an incident at the assembly point itself. A drill programme that runs the same daytime evacuation twice a year has demonstrated one arrangement repeatedly. Varying the conditions is what finds the gaps, and it is where the value of testing sits.
What auditors find
Most common emergency response plan findings
Emergency findings concentrate on accounting and on what has never been tested.
| Finding | Clause | What fixes it |
|---|---|---|
| No reliable means of accounting for everyone after evacuation. | 1910.38(c)(4) | Explicit requirement; test with contractors and visitors present. |
| Plan describes evacuation only, with no shelter or partial evacuation option. | ISO 45001 cl.8.2 | State which scenarios call for shelter and who decides. |
| Scenarios generic rather than derived from site risk assessments. | ISO 45001 cl.8.2 | The site-specific scenario is usually the one not planned for. |
| Roles assigned to named individuals rather than to positions. | 1910.38(c)(6) | Assign to roles always filled; emergencies do not consult the rota. |
| Drills conducted only in daylight with full staffing. | ISO 45001 cl.8.2 | Test night, weekend and reduced-staffing conditions. |
| Contractors and visitors not included in emergency arrangements. | ISO 45001 cl.8.1.4 | They are present and least familiar with the building. |
| External services unaware of site-specific hazards. | NFPA 1600 | Share ammonia, confined space and high-voltage information before it matters. |
| Plan not revised after a drill revealed a problem. | ISO 45001 cl.8.2 | Revision after testing is an explicit requirement; a drill that changes nothing is a rehearsal. |
| Assembly point unsuitable in certain wind directions or scenarios. | ISO 45001 cl.8.2 | Provide alternatives and criteria for choosing between them. |
| Critical operations shutdown responsibilities undefined. | 1910.38(c)(3) | Specify who stays, what they do, and when they leave. |
Case in point
Case in point: the drill that always worked
A site ran two fire drills a year, both on weekday mornings, both achieving full assembly and accountability within five minutes. The results were reported to management review as evidence of effective emergency arrangements, and had been for six years.
A genuine alarm occurred at 4am on a Sunday during a maintenance shutdown. Present were eleven contractors from four companies, two site engineers and a security officer. The fire marshals were day shift employees. The signing-in system was a book at a reception desk that was unstaffed at weekends, and the contractors had entered through a different gate.
Everyone got out. Nobody could confirm that everyone had got out, and the fire service was told the site could not account for its occupants.
The template
The template, field by field
The form exactly as it installs. Every field, option, score and conditional rule is editable, and the links to other templates come with it.
5 sections
- Reference
- SAF-067
- Archetype
- Plan
- Record ID
- ERP-2026-000
- Scoring
- Not scored
- Direction
- n/a
- Singleton
- No
- Basis
- OSHA 1910.38, NFPA 1600
- Links
- Links Site; feeds drills
- Tags
- Emergency, Plan
- Sections
- 5
- Fields
- 43
- Follow up fields
- 3
- Repeating sections
- 0
- Links out
- 4
Header
9 fieldsPlan ID*
Auto sequence. Format ERP-2026-000.
The record's own ID. Other templates point at this value.
Status*
Drives who this goes to next.
- Planned2 pts
- In progress2 pts
- Complete3 pts
- Deferred0 pts
- Open0 pts
- Closed3 pts
- Overdue0 pts
Site*
Site ID*
Format SITE-000.
Links to FDN-001 Site ID
Plan Version*
Issue Date*
Next Review Due*
Plan Owner*
Approved By*
Scenarios covered
3 fieldsScenarios*
Fire, ammonia release, chemical spill, medical, power failure, flood, violence, product recall.
Ammonia Release Procedure Included*
Essential wherever ammonia refrigeration is used. Evacuation direction depends on wind.
- Pass2 pts
- Partial1 pt
- Fail0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Cold Store Entrapment Covered*
- Yes2 pts
- No0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Roles and arrangements
10 fieldsIncident Controller Named*
- Pass2 pts
- Partial1 pt
- Fail0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Deputy Named*
- Pass2 pts
- Partial1 pt
- Fail0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Cover For All Shifts*
- Pass2 pts
- Partial1 pt
- Fail0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Wardens Per Area Defined*
- Pass2 pts
- Partial1 pt
- Fail0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
First Aiders Per Shift Defined*
- Pass2 pts
- Partial1 pt
- Fail0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Spill Responders Defined*
- Pass2 pts
- Partial1 pt
- Fail0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Muster Points Defined*
- Pass2 pts
- Partial1 pt
- Fail0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Alternative Muster For Wind Direction*
A single muster point downwind of an ammonia release is a plan that kills people.
- Pass2 pts
- Partial1 pt
- Fail0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Headcount Method Defined*
- Pass2 pts
- Partial1 pt
- Fail0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Visitor And Contractor Accounting*
- Pass2 pts
- Partial1 pt
- Fail0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Communication and external
7 fieldsAlarm Types And Meanings Defined*
- Pass2 pts
- Partial1 pt
- Fail0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Emergency Contact Register ID
Links to SAF-072 Register ID
Emergency Services Pre-Briefed*
- Pass2 pts
- Partial1 pt
- Fail0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Site Plan Provided To Services*
- Pass2 pts
- Partial1 pt
- Fail0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Neighbouring Sites Informed
- Pass2 pts
- Partial1 pt
- Fail0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Media And Family Communication Defined
- Pass2 pts
- Partial1 pt
- Fail0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Regulator Notification Route Defined*
- Pass2 pts
- Partial1 pt
- Fail0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Supporting documents
14 fieldsPlan Document
Document ID
Format DOC-0000.
Links to FDN-008 Document ID
Site Plan Attached*
Muster Point Map*
Drill Frequency*
- Pass2 pts
- Partial1 pt
- Fail0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Last Drill Date
Action Required*
Raise the action record, then enter its reference here.
- No2 pts
- Yes0 pts
Priority
- High0 pts
- Medium1 pt
- Low3 pts
CAPA ID
Format CAPA-2026-00000.
Links to FDN-014 CAPA ID
Action Owner
Plan Owner*
Signature*
Site Manager*
Second Signature*
SAF-067 · record IDs look like ERP-2026-000 · Links Site; feeds drills
Open in KnowellaRun it with agents
From a document you fill in to a programme that runs itself
The plan covers what happens when something goes wrong. What fails is accounting for people and the conditions nobody drilled.
Holds scenarios derived from the risk assessments, assigns roles to positions, and tracks which conditions have and have not been tested.
Includes contractors and visitors in accountability and flags drills that repeat conditions already proven.
Brings contractor presence into the count and the briefing, since they are present and least familiar with the building.
Connects emergency equipment, alarms and isolation points to inspection, so the plan relies on things that have been checked.
This template lives in KnowSafe — safety and compliance. Incidents, hazards, permits, inspections and the critical controls behind them.
Meet KnowSafe→Glossary
Emergency Response Plan definitions and key terms
- Emergency action plan
- The plan required under 1910.38 with six specified minimum elements, including accounting for employees.
- Shelter in place
- Remaining inside with the building sealed, appropriate where the hazard is outside and evacuation increases exposure.
- Accountability
- Confirming that everyone who was on site has been located after evacuation, including contractors and visitors.
- Critical operations
- Processes that must be shut down or monitored before those responsible evacuate, requiring named roles.
- Incident command
- The structure assigning authority and coordination during a response, required for hazardous substance emergencies.
- Assembly point
- The designated location for evacuation, requiring alternatives where wind direction or scenario makes the primary unsuitable.
- Partial evacuation
- Clearing part of a site while the remainder continues, requiring criteria and authority to decide.
- Drill variation
- Testing under different conditions of time, staffing and scenario, which is where testing produces findings.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about emergency response plan
What must an emergency action plan contain?+
Under 1910.38, six minimum elements: procedures for reporting a fire or emergency, evacuation procedures including exit route assignments, procedures for employees who remain to operate critical operations before evacuating, procedures to account for all employees after evacuation, procedures for those performing rescue or medical duties, and the name or job title of people to contact for further information.
Why does accounting fail so often?+
Because the systems that record arrival do not record departure, and because contractors, visitors and agency staff sit outside the employee systems entirely. It is an explicit requirement and the one most likely to fail in a real event, and the failure sends people back toward a building to search for someone who left hours earlier.
Should every emergency mean evacuation?+
No. A release outside the building, severe weather or an external threat can make leaving more dangerous than staying. Where the plan only describes evacuation, the decision to shelter is left to whoever is present, without criteria or authority. Stating which scenarios call for shelter, and who decides in ambiguous cases, is straightforward in advance and very difficult in the moment.
How should drills be varied?+
By time of day, day of week, staffing level, weather, and by blocking a primary route or placing the incident at the assembly point. A programme running the same daytime evacuation twice a year has demonstrated one arrangement repeatedly. The value of testing comes from the conditions that have not been tested.
What should external services know?+
What they will find. Ammonia or other hazardous inventories, confined spaces, high-voltage plant, access constraints, and where isolation points are. That conversation is inexpensive and useful before an incident, and it is a poor time to be introducing your site to a fire officer for the first time.
Keep going
Related templates and programmes
Industries this is written for
Programmes this belongs to
Used together in Emergency Preparedness
Contractor Emergency Drill Participation
Records contractor involvement in an evacuation or emergency drill, including whether they were accounted for
Site Resilience and Continuity Plan
Sets out how the site keeps operating or recovers after loss of power, refrigeration, water, IT, key equipment or people
Business Continuity Exercise Record
Records a test of the continuity plan, what worked and what did not
Environmental Spill Drill Record
Records a practice spill response, timed from discovery to containment
Evacuation Drill Record
Records a practice evacuation, including clearance time, headcount and anything that went wrong
Fire Drill Record
Records a fire specific drill, including alarm activation, route use and warden performance
More in Emergency
Evacuation Drill Record
Records a practice evacuation, including clearance time, headcount and anything that went wrong
Fire Drill Record
Records a fire specific drill, including alarm activation, route use and warden performance
Emergency Equipment Inspection
Checks alarms, extinguishers, spill kits, defibrillators and emergency stops are present and working
Muster Point Check
Checks assembly points are marked, reachable and safe to stand in
Emergency Contact Register
Holds emergency contacts for the site, including services, key staff and neighbouring operations
Spill Response Drill Record
Records a practice response to a chemical or fuel spill
Written and reviewed by
Siddarth Singh
Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Knowella
Certified Safety Professional and industrial and systems engineer with more than a decade inside food supply chain, freight and manufacturing operations. This page was written against the current text of the standards it cites, not against secondary summaries of them.
- Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Board of Certified Safety Professionals
- MBA, University of Chicago Booth School of Business
- MS and BS, The Ohio State University, Industrial and Systems Engineering
- Six Sigma Black Belt
Sources and last review. Reviewed 16 August 2026 against:
- 29 CFR 1910.38, emergency action plans, OSHA
- 29 CFR 1910.120(q), emergency response to hazardous substance releases, OSHA
- ISO 45001:2018 clause 8.2, emergency preparedness and response
- NFPA 1600, standard on continuity, emergency and crisis management
- 29 CFR 1910.165, employee alarm systems, OSHA
This page is general guidance, not legal advice. Confirm requirements with your jurisdiction’s regulator.