Edition No. 9

Developing an Emergency Response Program

A Brief Tutorial

Traditional emergency preparedness and response has long been a component of business risk management with the goal of minimizing the risk of loss of life, injuries, environmental impact, property damage, and business interruption. So it follows that all companies need an Emergency Response Program (ERP). More importantly, if an organization is larger than ten employees, by regulation the ERP must be a written document. But how much time and money should a company invest in emergency response? When should companies outsource this service? Is the size of the organization or the level of a possible emergency the determining factor for that decision?

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ERP Objectives

The goal of any emergency response program is to develop and implement a successful plan that deals with all possible emergencies. A comprehensive plan should detail how to respond to each anticipated emergency and include training and practice sessions for those handling the response. The key to a successful plan is to make it only as complex as it needs to be. Too many companies invest a lot of time and money into elaborate programs when perhaps all they really need is basic equipment and training. What’s the best way to decide how complex your plan needs to be?

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has devised a matrix that helps make that decision. This guide prioritizes emergency response planning efforts by evaluating the probability and impact various emergencies may have on your company and its business.

The FEMA Matrix

To use this tool, first list all the possible emergencies that could happen at your facility including injury, illness, earthquake, fire, flood, explosion, workplace violence, etc. It’s important to involve other key individuals in your company as you complete the list. The input of operations, production, facilities / plant maintenance, security, human resources, and even IT and research is vital to compiling a comprehensive matrix.

Then estimate the probability of each emergency happening at your facility. As you list the impact and the resources needed to address the emergency, a ranking will emerge. Spend your resources (planning, training, and practicing) on those risks that rank the highest.

Outsourcing

Where the likelihood of impact to the business is low, you may want to have an outside agency come in and handle the emergency. Do you really need to spend the money for equipment and training if the emergency is only a remote possibility and the impact to your employees, the business, and property is low? Can outsourced organizations handle those remote possibilities in a timely, efficient manner at a relatively low cost?

To answer these questions, let’s look at the incident of a chemical spill. For a full hazardous materials response to a chemical spill, you will need at least five trained people on any day of operation to handle the emergency; that’s eight to ten people total, considering days off, etc.

In a typical semiconductor manufacturing facility, the business impact may be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars per hour for downtime. The human and property impact may be even higher. Therefore, most semiconductor facilities have a 24-hour level response and clean-up team. They invest in training and practice, including first-aid and CPR and also provide respiratory protection. Quick response, fast clean-up, and a return to production are vital to the business impact of the emergency and dictate spending the time and money to employ a fully-trained emergency response team.

The area of emergency medical response provides another example of weighing the level of resource commitment a company needs. If your company is in close proximity to emergency medical facilities, it may not make sense to have a fully-trained medical response team and equipment such as an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED). But, if response time is slow, or you are in a remote area, the choice to have a highly-trained team and emergency medical equipment may mean the difference between life and death for an employee.

Other emergencies may be remote possibilities with smaller impacts that do not dictate spending the time and money for inclusion in your emergency response program. These may be areas where it is appropriate to outsource the response to qualified suppliers.

EORM Offers ERP and Outsourcing Solutions

EORM can help any organization develop an effective emergency response program. We work with companies every day to develop and implement programs that are practical, cost-effective, and meet regulatory requirements. We provide services in the following disciplines: emergency response team training, hazardous materials, CRP and First Aid, and respiratory training. Our Business Continuity Planning (BCP) professionals can also help develop business recovery plans that enable your company to quickly and effectively respond to any business interruption.