Be Prepared: Emergency Planning

The time to plan for an emergency is before it happens. Every jobsite should be ready.

Have a plan

• An Emergency Action Plan — what to do, who to call, where to meet.
• Know the site address to give to 911 (and how emergency vehicles reach the site).
• A stocked, accessible first-aid kit.
• Know who is trained in first aid/CPR and where the nearest AED is.

In any emergency

Stay calm, make the scene safe (don't become a second victim), call 911, and give first aid only within your training.

Going Deeper (Intermediate)

OSHA requires an Emergency Action Plan (1926.35 / 1910.38) when conditions warrant. A usable EAP covers:

• Evacuation routes & exits, assembly points, and headcount/accountability.
• Alarm/communication methods.
• Roles — who calls 911, who leads, who shuts down equipment.
• Site-specific scenarios: fire, medical, severe weather, utility strike, structural collapse, chemical release. Post it, train on it, and drill it.

Advanced / Pro-Level

What separates a plan-on-paper from real readiness:

• Site-specific rescue plans are required for high-hazard work — fall arrest (suspension-trauma retrieval) and confined space (non-entry rescue) cannot rely on "call 911."
• Address & access info posted for responders; map fire lanes, hydrants, AED, first-aid, eyewash, SDS, and utility shutoffs.
• Severe weather: lightning (30-30 rule), high-wind crane/lift shutdown thresholds, tornado shelter.
• Utility strikes: gas (evacuate upwind, no ignition, call utility/911), electrical (stay back, treat lines as live).
• After any incident: secure the scene, render aid, preserve evidence, report per OSHA timelines, and investigate root cause (not blame).

Practice Challenge

Your crew does suspended scaffold work 80 ft up. Why is "call 911" an inadequate emergency plan, and what's required? (Answer: a fall-arrest suspension can cause fatal suspension trauma in minutes — you need a prompt on-site rescue/retrieval plan and equipment, not just an external call that may take too long.)

In Practice

When someone's hurt, panic wastes the minutes that matter. A crew that already knows the site address, who's trained, and where the kit and AED are reacts in seconds, not minutes.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Having no emergency plan or first-aid kit
• Not knowing the site address to give 911
• Becoming a second victim by rushing into danger

Takeaway: Have an emergency plan, a stocked first-aid kit, and know who's trained — then stay calm, make the scene safe, and call 911.

⚠️ Awareness only — NOT a substitute for hands-on certification. Get certified in First Aid/CPR/AED through the American Red Cross or American Heart Association, and call 911 in any real emergency.