Emergency Response SOP Template

1.Purpose

To make sure the right emergency response is triggered quickly for any type of emergency, personnel are accounted for, and the response is coordinated with emergency services.

2.Scope

Applies to all employees, contractors and visitors, covering emergencies beyond fire alone, such as severe weather, chemical release, medical events, utility failure and security threats.

Definitions

Emergency response team

A group of trained employees responsible for coordinating the response to an emergency, including communication and liaison with emergency services.

Shelter-in-place

Staying inside a building or a designated safe area rather than evacuating, used when going outside would be more dangerous, such as during severe weather or an outdoor chemical release.

Stand down

The official signal that an emergency has ended and normal operations, or evacuation, can resume.

3.Responsibilities

Employee

Follows instructions for the emergency type, moves to safety or shelters in place as directed, and reports to their area for headcount.

Emergency Response Team Member

Assesses the emergency, directs the appropriate response, and liaises with external emergency services on arrival.

Safety Officer

Coordinates the overall response, confirms headcount is complete, and authorizes stand down.

Department Manager

Confirms headcount for their team and communicates status updates to their staff.

RACI matrix

R = Responsible, A = Accountable, C = Consulted, I = Informed

4.Materials and PPE

Materials, tools and systems

• →Emergency response plan covering each emergency type
• →Emergency contact and notification list
• →Two-way radios or mass notification system
• →Shelter-in-place locations and supplies
• →Headcount and personnel tracking list

5.Procedure

1. 5.1

   Recognize the emergency type

   Employee

   Identify what kind of emergency is occurring, such as fire, chemical release, medical event, severe weather or security threat, since the correct response depends on the type.

2. 5.2

   Sound the alert

   Employee

   Activate the alarm or notification system appropriate to the emergency, or call the emergency response team directly if no automatic alarm applies.

3. 5.3

   Follow the response for that emergency type

   Employee

   Follow the specific guidance in the emergency response plan for the identified emergency type, since a chemical release, severe weather and a medical event each require a different response.

4. 5.4

   Move to safety or shelter in place

   Employee

   Evacuate to the assembly point if the emergency plan calls for evacuation, or move to the designated shelter-in-place location if sheltering is the safer option for that emergency type.

   Warning: Do not evacuate outdoors during an emergency where sheltering in place is the safer response, such as certain severe weather or outdoor chemical release events.

5. 5.5

   Account for personnel

   Department Manager

   Department managers take a headcount of their team at the assembly point or shelter location and report the result to the emergency response team.

   Checkpoint: Every person normally present is accounted for as safe, sheltering, or reported missing.

6. 5.6

   Assess the scene and coordinate resources

   Emergency Response Team Member

   The emergency response team assesses the scope of the emergency and coordinates available resources, such as spill response equipment or additional first aiders.

7. 5.7

   Communicate status updates

   Emergency Response Team Member

   Provide periodic updates to employees and management on the emergency's status and any instructions they need to follow, using the notification system available.

8. 5.8

   Liaise with emergency services

   Safety Officer

   Meet arriving emergency services, provide them with relevant information such as headcount status, hazard details and site access, and follow their direction.

9. 5.9

   Continue monitoring the situation

   Emergency Response Team Member

   Keep monitoring conditions, such as weather updates or air monitoring results, and adjust the response if the emergency changes in scope or severity.

10. 5.10

    Stand down when cleared

    Safety Officer

    Authorize stand down only once emergency services or the emergency response team confirm the area is safe, and communicate the all-clear to everyone affected.

11. 5.11

    Debrief after the emergency

    Safety Officer

    Hold a debrief with the emergency response team and affected department managers to capture what worked well and what needs improvement.

12. 5.12

    Document the response

    Safety Officer

    Document the emergency, the response taken and the outcome, including headcount results and any injuries, for the incident record.

13. 5.13

    Update the emergency response plan

    Safety Officer

    Update the emergency response plan and training based on lessons learned from the debrief, and schedule the next drill for that emergency type.

6.Quality checks

• →The correct response, evacuation or shelter-in-place, is followed for the emergency type identified.
• →Headcount is completed and reported for every department during an emergency.
• →Emergency services receive an accurate briefing on arrival.
• →A debrief and documentation are completed after every real emergency and drill.

7.Records

• →Emergency response plan
• →Headcount and personnel tracking records
• →Incident documentation for the emergency
• →Debrief notes and plan updates

8.KPIs

• →Time from alert to completed headcount
• →Percentage of departments reporting headcount status during drills
• →Number of emergency drills completed against the annual schedule

9.Common mistakes

• →Evacuating outdoors when the emergency plan calls for sheltering in place.
• →Not identifying the emergency type before choosing a response.
• →Skipping the debrief after a real emergency because things worked out fine.
• →Failing to update the plan after a drill reveals a gap.

10.Revision history