ASP Domain 5: Emergency Preparedness and Response

A machine shop with 8 employees in one building plans to sound emergency alarms by shouting a warning, and all employees can hear a voice from anywhere in the shop. The owner asks whether a separate back-up alarm system is also required. What is the correct answer?

1. A.A back-up system is required because voice communication is never an acceptable alarm
2. B.No back-up system is needed, because for workplaces with 10 or fewer employees direct voice communication is acceptable if all employees can hear the alarm
3. C.A back-up system is required unless the shop has fewer than 5 employees
4. D.No back-up system is needed only if a tactile device is installed for each employee

A metal-finishing plant has stocked each work area with first aid kits matching the minimum contents of the ANSI Z308.1 workplace kit. The plant recently added a new process, and the last two quarters of the OSHA 300 log show a cluster of chemical splash and burn injuries that the kits are poorly equipped to treat. The safety professional must decide what to do about the kits. Which action is most consistent with the guidance?

1. A.Wait for the next scheduled annual review of the kits, since injury logs are not an appropriate source for assessing first aid needs
2. B.Remove the in-plant kits and rely on the local emergency room, since the kits cannot cover the new injury types
3. C.Leave the kits unchanged, because the ANSI minimum contents are the mandatory list and meeting it satisfies the requirement
4. D.Use the OSHA 300 and 301 records, and consult a local medical resource if needed, to identify the specific needs, then enhance the kits to cover the reasonably anticipated injuries

A chemical blending facility is required by another OSHA standard to have an emergency action plan. It has 14 employees on its roster, but only 9 are on site on any one shift. The owner proposes to skip a written plan and instead walk each new hire through the evacuation procedures verbally. Based on the emergency action plan standard, what is the correct response?

1. A.Acceptable, because the plan only needs to be communicated to the employees who are actually on site during a given shift
2. B.Acceptable, because oral plans are allowed whenever the plan includes procedures for reporting emergencies and evacuation
3. C.Not acceptable, because the facility has more than 10 employees, so the plan must be in writing, kept in the workplace, and available to employees for review
4. D.Not acceptable, because an emergency action plan must always be in writing regardless of the number of employees