Section 408.17704. Employee emergency plan and fire prevention plan.

(1) This rule applies to all emergency action plans required by the occupational safety and health act of 1970, 29 U.S.C. §651 et seq. The emergency action plan shall be in writing, except as provided in subrules (5), (6), and (7) of this rule, and shall cover those designated actions employers and employees must take to ensure employee safety from fire and other emergencies.

(2)  All of the following elements shall be included in the emergency action plan:

(a)    Procedures for emergency evacuation, including type of evacuation and exit route assignments.

(b)    Procedures to be followed by employees who remain to operate critical plant operations before they evacuate.

(c)   Procedures to account for all employees after emergency evacuation has been completed.

(d)  Procedures to be followed by employees performing rescue or medical duties.

(e)   Procedures for reporting a fire or other emergency.

(f)   The name or job title of every employee who may be contacted by employees who need more information about the plan or an explanation of their duties under the plan.

(3)   An alarm system shall comply with both of the following provisions:

(a)    An employer shall establish an employee alarm system which complies with R 408.17717.

(b)   If the employee alarm system is used for alerting fire brigade members or for other purposes, a distinctive signal for each purpose shall be used.

(4)     An  employer  shall   establish,  in  the   emergency  action   plan,  the  types   of evacuation to be used in emergency circumstances.

(5)    Before implementing the emergency action plan, an employer shall designate and train a sufficient number of persons to assist in the safe and orderly emergency evacuation of employees.

(6)     An  employer  shall   review  the  emergency  action   plan  with  each  employee covered by the plan at all of the following times:

(a)  When the plan is developed or the employee is assigned initially to a job.

(b)     When  an  employee's  responsibilities   or  designated  actions  under  the  plan change.

(c)   When the plan is changed.

(7)     The emergency action written plan shall be kept at the workplace and made available for employee review. For those employers with 10 or fewer employees, the emergency action plan may be communicated orally to employees and the employer need not maintain a written plan.

History: 1988 AACS; 2014 AACS.