Emergency Preparedness & Response Procedure

This procedure describes the requirements on emergency preparedness and responses to ensure prompt and safe action in case of any emergency or disaster situation.

This procedure applies to all health, safety and environmental emergencies with a particular emphasis to the requirements in the event of Personal Injury Accidents or Fire emergencies.

Separate emergency preparedness plans may be needed for other possible emergency situations as determined by the Project Risk  Assessments.

These include and are not limited to civil unrest, earthquakes, tsunamis, cyclones, storms as well as flooding.

The project manager/director shall ensure that the project has in place a viable and up to date Emergency Response Plan. This plan needs to be clear, well understood by all parties  and mock drills practiced at regular intervals as determined by the project risk assessment.

This emergency response plan shall include allocated responsibilities, contact details for project personnel, contact details for local Authorities, contact details for group personnel off site, communication trees, emergency response actions, plans and maps as a minimum.

It is recommended that an initial risk assessment during project start up consider all likely hazards from fuel spills to snake bites to office fires as examples. The risk assessment process then forms the basis for a project specific emergency response plan and a fire protection plan. Risk assessment shall also help and guide in development of emergency response team.

Project manager / director shall take all necessary steps to ensure that this information is communicated and understood by all employees and sub-contractors working on the site.

The project director/manager shall take all necessary steps to ensure that the workplace has adequate reliable means of communication internally and to the outside community.

Emergency Preparedness

All personnel must familiarize themselves with the location of the first aid equipment, fire­ fighting equipment, exits, muster points and rescue equipment such as stretchers.

Any deficiencies discovered must be immediately reported to the Supervisor or the Project HSE Manager.

Spill kits, stretchers, First Aid Boxes and fire extinguishers must be fully accessible at all times. Do not stack materials in front of these items or obstruct access to them.

The project manager shall ensure that the workplace meets all local regulatory and project insurance safety and environmental requirements with regards to emergency preparedness. This may mean that the project needs to supply its own first aid clinic, ambulance service, rescue equipment and/or rescue squads, wet risers etc. The Project HSE Manager shall advise the project manager on this issue and to establish an effective emergency response plan.

Emergency Response Requirements

a) The project director shall ensure that all employees are aware of the correct responses to various emergency situations.

b) These response guidelines are given below:

• Assess the Hazards at the Scene
• Personal Injury Incident
• Fire Emergency

Response Requirements -Assess the Hazards at the Scene

Upon discovering an incident, take the time to assess the situation to make the area safe and to prevent further injury to those.

Take appropriate precautions according to the type of damage and the cause of the incident, examples are:

Vehicle accident

Switch off the vehicle’s ignition and warn people not to smoke. Make use of bystanders to control traffic or crowds, to call for help and, if they are capable, to assist with first aid;

Electrical accidents

Switch off the current or break contact between the injured person and the power source.

Do not touch the victim or any live wires! Use non-conducting material, such as a dry stick, to remove wires from the casualty;

Ensure that the current is turned off or that loose wires are kept at a safe distance until the casualty is removed to safe place.

Do not approach fallen high-tension power lines until a power company official gives permission.

Apply artificial respiration to victim if necessary;

Machinery Accident: Shut off running or moving machinery;

Gas, smoke and poisonous fumes: Shut off the source and remove the casualty to fresh air. Do NOT enter a confined space and become another victim;

Fires and collapsing  building: Move any casualty to safety, away from fire, smoke or falling debris;

Fuel or Oil spills: Switch off any likely sources of ignition. Build a bund or dig a hole to contain the fluids;

Chemical spills: Switch off any likely sources of ignition. Contain the spilled material and isolate the area.

Emergency Response for Personal Injury Incident

a) Do not panic, the first priority in the case of any accident is to obtain proper medical assistance for the victim

b) The following steps should be followed in the event of an accident, generally in the order they are listed:

i. Upon discovering an accident, call to attract the attention of others nearby to assist you and ensure any injured person is in no further danger;

ii. Assess the hazards  at the scene  and  make  the area safe for yourself, the victim and others. Typical hazards to be aware of are; live electrical lines, moving equipment or machinery, traffic, hazardous  chemicals, fires and collapsing  structures. Only move  the victim if they are in immediate danger;

iii. Send someone to call for emergency help. Locate the nearest First Aiders or any personnel trained in First Aid. If no qualified  personnel are available, locate the nearest radio or telephone and call the office or for an ambulance; The following information must be given to the ambulance service:

• Circumstances of the incident and condition of the victim(s);
• Number of casualties involved;
• Exact location of the accident;
• Help that has been given or is being given;
• Your name and telephone number from which the call is being placed (if applicable);
• Wait to be told what to do before hanging up;
• Protect and shelter the victim until medical help arrives  and post somebody at the site entrance to direct the ambulance  to the accident;

c) Immediately after attending to the victim, the Project HSE Manager or crew Supervisor shall complete all emergency response reporting requirements.

d) In the case of fatal accidents the Police and the relevant HSE Authorities shall be informed immediately.

Emergency Response Requirements in Case of Fire

a) Raise the alarm immediately

b) Proceed to the nearest telephone or radio and ask whoever is present to call the fire services or do so yourself.

c) Attack, if possible, the fire with correct fire fighting extinguishers or other suitable fire-fighting equipments available.

d) If it’s an electrical fire, switch off current power supply first, if possible.

e) Persons should be posted at site entrance to direct fire services to scene of fire.

f) A roll call of all employees shall be taken when premises have had to be evacuated.

g) Each section shall nominate a Fire Warden who, in case of an emergency shall undertake the following duties during an evacuation:

• Keep a check of personnel movements so that an accurate roll call can be made
• Alert the remainder of the office of the emergency
• Supervise the orderly exit as per the emergency  exit plan
• Check staff numbers
• Ensure personnel do not leave assembly area until accounted for
• Advise emergency services if any person remains unaccounted for

h) The emergency exit plan shall be prepared by the Project HSE Manager and will show the position of all exits, which route to take to get to an exit for each section and assembly points.