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HospitalityEmergency Action Plan Elements
Twenty flashcards on what the federal emergency action plan must include and how hotel staff carry it out.
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20 cards
- When must an employer have an emergency action plan?
- Whenever an OSHA standard in that part of the rules requires one.
- Must the emergency action plan be written?
- Yes: written, kept at the workplace and available to employees. With 10 or fewer employees it may be told orally.
- Minimum element 1 of an emergency action plan?
- Procedures for reporting a fire or other emergency.
- Minimum element 2?
- Procedures for emergency evacuation, including the type of evacuation and exit route assignments.
- Minimum element 3?
- Procedures for employees who stay to run critical operations before they evacuate.
- Minimum element 4?
- Procedures to account for all employees after the evacuation.
- Minimum element 5?
- Procedures for employees who perform rescue or medical duties.
- Minimum element 6?
- The name or job title of every person employees can contact for more information about the plan or their duties.
- What alarm must the employer have?
- An employee alarm system, kept working, with a distinctive signal for each purpose.
- Who must the employer designate and train?
- Enough employees to help with a safe and orderly evacuation of the others.
- When must the plan be reviewed with each employee?
- When it is developed or the employee is first assigned, when their duties under it change, and when the plan changes.
- What does the federal appendix suggest adding to the plan?
- Floor plans or maps that clearly show the escape routes; color coding helps employees find their route.
- What is the purpose of an emergency action plan?
- To organize what the employer and employees do during a workplace emergency.
- Common ways to report an emergency?
- Dialing 911, an internal emergency number, or pulling a manual fire alarm.
- Where should internal emergency numbers be posted?
- On or near each phone.
- Who takes charge when the fire department arrives?
- The highest-ranking responder takes incident command and works with the onsite emergency coordinator.
- How many evacuation wardens are usually enough?
- Generally one warden for every 20 employees, available at all times during working hours.
- What do evacuation wardens check before leaving?
- Offices, bathrooms and other spaces, being the last to exit, and that fire doors are closed.
- How are people accounted for after evacuating?
- Gather at the assembly area, take a head count and pass the names and last known locations of anyone missing to the official in charge.
- How can visitors be accounted for?
- Have visitors and contractors sign in, and use that list at the assembly area; hosts or wardens help them get out.
Official sources
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), via GovInfo (GPO)
29 CFR 1910.38: Emergency action plans (CFR 2025 edition)
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Evacuation Plans and Procedures eTool: Emergency Action Plan
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Evacuation Plans and Procedures eTool: Emergency Action Plan, Minimum Requirements
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Evacuation Plans and Procedures eTool: Emergency Action Plan, Reporting Emergencies
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Evacuation Plans and Procedures eTool: Develop and Implement an Emergency Action Plan
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Evacuation Plans and Procedures eTool: Emergency Action Plan, Evacuation Elements
Making Synapses is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by OSHA, FEMA, the U.S. Fire Administration, NFPA or any hotel brand or training provider. Agency, law and standard names are named only to describe the content.