Have you ever been the first person to witness an emergency or a serious vehicle accident? What did you do? Did your actions or your response work out the way that you expected? Why or why not?

Here is an example shared by BP:

“A few months ago I was driving with my family when a motorcycle passed us on a four lane road. About 20 seconds later as I came around a sharp curve in the road, I noticed the same motorcycle in a ditch and the driver lying face down and unconscious in the grass about 30 feet away. I immediately stopped to help and I was the first one on the scene. There were no other vehicles involved. I called 911 (the emergency number in the US) from my mobile phone to report the incident and requested an ambulance. As I explained where I was located to the dispatcher, he couldn’t figure out which ambulance service to call because we were on the border between two towns. I was amazed how difficult it was to get help! About 20 minutes later, police and ambulance services from both towns finally arrived. While at the scene, they were trying to figure out which jurisdiction they were in and who should transport the injured person. The person finally regained consciousness and was taken to the hospital. I was shocked and amazed by the confusion that I was witnessing! How could this happen?”

The actions that are taken in the first few minutes of an emergency can be critical. A quick warning to people to stop work, shelter or evacuate can often save lives. A prompt call for help to local emergency services with accurate information about the site operations, location and type of emergency is important for the dispatcher so that the right responders and equipment can be sent.

The first step in emergency preparedness is planning. A few years ago I was involved in a project in tornado alley.  There were 50 people onsite, and we planned for everyone to muster into the only subgrade basement on site if needed.  We practiced this to make sure everyone would fit, and during the drill, someone asked “What do you see missing?”  We had water, some food, flash lights, but the answer we got was easily overlooked.  “Where do we go to the bathroom?”

When developing an emergency response plan, the hazards and the risks need to be fully assessed to identify potential emergency scenarios. An understanding of what can happen will enable you to determine emergency resource requirements and to develop effective plans and procedures. The plan should include a description of the notification and activation process along with options for response. The emergency information should either be incorporated into the site Health and Safety Plan (HASP) or included in a stand-alone Emergency Response Plan based upon applicable regulatory requirements, scope of work or site risks.

Part of the planning process should also include verification that the emergency phone numbers and resources or equipment that will be relied upon during an emergency are accurate and available.

• When was the last time that you reviewed your site’s emergency response plan?
• Do you know what to do in in an emergency?
• Do you know where the nearest hospital is located?
• Do you know how to initiate an emergency response?