Which Respirators Best Fit Your Emergency Escape Plans?
- By John B. Vincent, Q.S.S.P.
- Jan 01, 2004
Getting employees prepared is one thing. Getting them out is another.
DETERMINING which respirators best fit your emergency escape plans may be one of the most critical steps you can take to ensure employees have the best chance for escape from a terrorist situation, natural disaster, or industrial accident. That determination must be made, of course, within the broader context of a complete emergency preparedness plan.
Plan for the worst. Many companies and communities have done just that since 9/11. All would do well to review at least the requirements for written emergency action plans, under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's standard 1910.38, for organizations with 10 or more employees. A new page on emergency preparedness and response on the OSHA Web site (www.osha.gov) is a good starting point in planning for terrorist incidents, natural disasters, and traditional emergency situations, as are several of the guides on the Emergency Preparedness for Business page of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (www.cdc.gov/niosh). OSHA's e-tools include an "Evacuation Planning Matrix," and a bulletin on "CBRN Escape Respirators" reviews the respirator basics for employee escape from chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear warfare hazards.
Many recent articles also can help with preparation of emergency response plans. A recent series on "Building Corporate Castles" (Occupational Health & Safety, March, June, and September 2003) provides insight on the types of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) that terrorists might use and steps one can take to harden a building against such attack. Others, such as "Responding to Dirty Bombs" (Occupational Health & Safety, September 2003) and "Getting Them Out Alive" (Occupational Health & Safety, July 2003) also provide resource references and information on steps that should be taken in response to an attack or accident.
In addition, there are crisis management and risk consultants who can help. Some, such as Marsh Inc. at www.marsh.com, also provide information and courses on their Web sites.
Considering the changing scenarios as well as the planning advantages that also apply to potential natural disasters and industrial accidents, it makes sense for all organizations to update their plans for today's world, train their employees, and practice more than fire drills.
Strategic Analysis
The first step is to assess whether your facility could become a terrorist target or is a potential site for a natural disaster or industrial accident. Initially, some organizations assumed they would not become terrorist targets because they were not located in high-visibility buildings in large population centers. Neither were they part of or close to critical infrastructure, such as communications, border and transportation facilities, water treatment facilities, or power plants.
However, because such facilities and large cities have stepped up security and implemented emergency plans, it now is thought that smaller cities and so-called "soft" facilities might become more likely targets. These include facilities accessible to the general public--office buildings, hospitals, hotels, banks, malls, and schools.
In addition, industrial facilities--particularly those that harbor chemicals or other substances that could become weapons, if released--remain prime targets. Those located near such sites need to assess their vulnerability to secondary impacts. Often, companies have not thoroughly researched the types of hazards in neighboring facilities and range of impact if the hazardous materials are released. Facilities to consider include refineries and tank farms, chemical and plastics plants, nuclear power plants, water chlorination facilities, manufacturing plants using various solvents and other chemicals in their processes, or research laboratories.
Another consideration is the type of weapons that terrorists might use. Some experts now think a dirty bomb, or radiological dispersal device (see "Responding to Dirty Bombs," Occupational Health & Safety, September 2003), would be a more logical choice as a WMD than biological or chemical agents that might be more difficult to disperse or more easily detected. Nevertheless, there is potential for the consequence of any WMD to spread over a wide area.
Along with potential terrorist threats, it also is important to analyze the potential for natural disasters and industrial accidents in your area. These may pose an even greater threat of loss of life or injury than a terrorist event. The fire drill of 50 years ago may no longer be sufficient preparation for today's world.
This article originally appeared in the January 2004 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.