DIPLOMA IN OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND

HEALTH

OSH 2523
Emergency Response Plan Principles

CHAPTER 2
 • At the end of lecture student should be
able to:
– define emergency
– state example of emergency
– list example of emergency agencies
– explain role of emergency planning

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 Occupational Safety and Health (Control of Industrial
Major Accident Hazards) Regulations 1996

Occupational Safety and Health (Control of Industrial Major

Accident Hazards) Regulations 1996

-clearly duties of employer or occupier to persons

outside/surrounding premises.
-They are required to take preventive measures in order to
ensure safety of their operations.
-Among others, they need to have an emergency response plan
and provide information to the public.
 Regulation 18
on-site emergency plan
(1) A manufacturer who has control of an industrial
activity after consulting a Competent Person
prepare, keep an up to date and adequate on site
emergency plan detailing how major accidents are to
be dealt with on the site on which industrial activity
is carried on
Include the name of the person who is responsible
for safety on the site and the names of those who
are authorised to take action pursuant to the plant
on the event of emergency
(2) The manufacturer shall ensure that the on-
site emergency plan prepared is constantly
updated to take into account any material
change made in the industrial activity and that
every person on the site who is affected by
the plan is informed of its relevant provision
 Regulation 19
Updating of on-site emergency plan
• The manufacturer shall update the on-site
emergency plan
Regulation 20
review of on-site emergency plan
• The DG if he is of the opinion that the plan
submitted is not satisfactory direct the
manufacturer in writing to improve the
emergency plan within such time as he may
specify
 Regulation 21
off-site emergency plan
(1) A manufacturer who has control of an
industrial activity shall inform the local
authority of the area that his industrial activity
is considered capable of producing a major
accident hazard and the need for the
preparation of an off-site emergency plan for
the area surrounding his site which may be
likely to be affected by a major accident
 Key Requirement
• the plan is tailored for the facility to which it
applies

A less hazardous facility may require a simple

emergency plan, while a complex or more
hazardous facility may require a detailed and
extensive plan, involving more people and
organisations in the development and consultation
phases of the plan
 Emergency
• Definition of an emergency:
“An unexpected event requiring prompt action which is
beyond to normal day to day activity in order to ensure the
safety of the people, public, environment and equipment”

• An emergency is a situation that poses

an immediate risk to health, life, property,
or environment

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An incident, to be an emergency, conforms to one or
more of the following, it:

 Poses an immediate threat to life, health, property, or

environment

 Has already caused loss of life, health detriments,

property damage, or environmental damage

 has a high probability of escalating to cause immediate

danger to life, health, property, or environment

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 EXAMPLES OF EMERGENCY
• Fires, • Workplace violence
• Toxic gas releases, resulting in bodily harm
• and trauma
Chemical spills,
• • Floods,
Radiological accidents,
• • Hurricanes
Explosions,
• • Earthquake and
Civil disturbances,
• Tornadoes.
 Emergency services
• Fire and Rescue Department (BOMBA)
• Police
• Hospitals
• Department of Occupational Safety and Health
(DOSH)
• Department of Environmental (DOE)
• Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR)
• Local Authority
• Jabatan Pertahanan Awam Malaysia
• NGOs such as Bulan Sabit, St. John
 ROLE OF EMERGENCY PLANNING
• to prepare for and mitigate the impacts of an
emergency
• Through emergency planning, facility personnel
improve their understanding of the plant, equipment,
processes and materials, and their possible impacts in
emergency situations
• develop an understanding of the roles of emergency
services organisations and other external agencies
that could be involved in responding to an emergency
Relationship With Other Management
Systems

MS1722:2011
Occupational Safety and Health Management System

OHSAS 18001:2007
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT
SYSTEMS

ISO14001:2004
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
 The emergency
planning process

inter-related.

continually evaluated
and revised

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 CONSULTATION
• All stakeholders affected by the plan (including
facility personnel, the community and external
agencies) should be consulted to ensure that each
group knows what to expect of the other.

Consultation is a key requirement

for an effective emergency plan
and should be conducted in all
phases of the planning process
• A coordinated and effective response to any emergency requires
an understanding between the different parties involved
• Consultation when developing the emergency plan enables the
development of this understanding before an incident occurs
• It ensures that the roles, responsibilities, functions and needs of
all agencies and groups are understood and accurately
incorporated into the emergency plan.
• Once the plan is implemented, consultation during the
management of the plan allows all stakeholders to contribute to
the testing, monitoring and review, and updating of the plan.
 Key stakeholder
• key stakeholders in the emergency planning
process should be identified and ongoing
relationships with these groups developed
• includes representatives from all interested
parties
 Neighbouring facilities and
the community

Key stakeholder

External agencies and

workers other groups

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 1. Workers
• knowledge of the facility and its operations is incorporated into the
development of the emergency plan and generates a sense of commitment and
ownership

• responsibility to ensure that they are capable at all times of fulfilling their role in
the event of an emergency

• Ongoing consultation with workers should be actively pursued

• they should be involved in preparing and conducting exercises in order to test

the capability of the plan

• Debriefings following these exercises provide participants with an opportunity to

indicate the problems encountered and suggest possible solutions.

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 2.Neighbouring facilities and the
community
• two-way flow of issues and ideas
• results in a better-prepared
community
• lead to an improved understanding
and acceptance of the industry by the
wider community.
 Identify all neighbors
• neighbouring hazardous facilities
• local mutual aid groups
• sensitive environmental sites
• facilities accommodating large numbers of people
(e.g. commercial or shopping centres, motels and
recreational facilities)
• facilities provided for members of the community
who may be more vulnerable to the consequences
of an emergency (e.g. schools, child care centres,
hospitals and nursing homes)
• effective warning system for the neighbouring
community who could be affected by the emergency.

• Members of the community need to be aware of the

action to be taken when the warning is activated.

• Therefore, the operator must ensure that information

on safety measures and the appropriate response in
the case of an emergency is provided to the
community without their having to request it.

• Consultation should identify the needs of the

community and address the difficulties likely to be
encountered

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3. External agencies and other groups
• Police
• Fire and other emergency services,
• local authorities
• safety, health and environmental
agencies (both government and non-
government)
• facility operator should liaise closely with
the relevant local emergency management
authority
• facility operator may need to establish
partnership agreements with the relevant
agencies
• consultation with the local authority in relation to
the off-site health and safety consequences of a
major incident occurring

• The degree of involvement of government and other

agencies in an emergency will depend on the level
and potential consequences of the emergency

• clear understanding by all parties of the roles and

responsibilities of each group in an emergency

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 Reference
• Goetsh, D.L. 2004. Occupational Safety and Health for
Technologists, Engineers and Managers. 5th Edition. Prentice
Hall.
•  Introduction to Emergency Management By George Haddow,
Jane Bullock, Damon P. Coppola
• Occupational Safety & Health Act 1994 (Act 514) &
Regulations and Orders (2004). International Law Book
Services.
•  Emergency Response Planning for Corporate and Municipal
Managers By Paul A. Erickson
• John Ridley (1994). Health and Safety…in brief. 1st Edition.
Butterworth Heinemann.
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