OSHA emergency action plan template
A free emergency action plan template for US workplaces, with a section for each element OSHA's rule 29 CFR 1910.38 lists and a page for your evacuation map. Fill in the Word file, or print the PDF.
Download the emergency action plan template
Eight sections with guidance on what to write, fill-in tables for exit route assignments, critical operations, rescue duties, contacts, alarm signals and training, and a landscape evacuation map page at the end. US Letter.
Printable PDF
Emergency action plan, ready to print and fill in by hand.
Editable Word (.docx)
Change any wording, add your details and paste in a floor plan picture.
Free to download, edit and share. No sign-up. The Word file is the one to fill in; the PDF is for printing and writing on.
What OSHA's rule lists
Paragraph (c) of 29 CFR 1910.38 sets the minimum elements of an emergency action plan; paragraphs (d) to (f) add the alarm system, training and review. The template has a section for each. More detail in our guide to 1910.38.
1. Reporting a fire or other emergency (1910.38(c)(1))
Procedures for reporting a fire or other emergency.
- How employees raise the alarm (call point, phone extension, radio, shout) and who calls 911.
- What to tell the dispatcher: company name, street address, entrance to use, what is happening.
- Which emergencies this plan covers (fire, gas leak, chemical spill, severe weather, medical, other).
2. Emergency evacuation and exit route assignments (1910.38(c)(2))
Procedures for emergency evacuation, including type of evacuation and exit route assignments.
- For each kind of emergency, say whether employees evacuate fully, partly, or shelter in place, and who decides.
- Assign each area or department a primary and a secondary exit route and an assembly point. Show them on the evacuation map (last page).
3. Employees who stay to operate critical operations (1910.38(c)(3))
Procedures to be followed by employees who remain to operate critical plant operations before they evacuate.
- List any equipment or process that must be shut down or kept running before people leave (gas, power, furnaces, pumps, servers).
- Name who does it, what exactly they do, and the point at which they must stop and evacuate. If there are none, say so.
4. Accounting for all employees after evacuation (1910.38(c)(4))
Procedures to account for all employees after evacuation.
- How the head count is taken at each assembly point (roster, sign-in sheet, badge system) and who takes it.
- Include visitors, contractors and temporary staff. Say who reports missing people to the emergency services, and where.
5. Rescue and medical duties (1910.38(c)(5))
Procedures to be followed by employees performing rescue or medical duties.
- Name the employees assigned to rescue or first aid duties, their training, and the equipment they use.
- If employees are not to perform rescue, say that, and say they wait for the emergency services.
6. Who to contact for more information (1910.38(c)(6))
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.
- List everyone employees can ask about the plan or their duties under it.
7. Employee alarm system (1910.38(d))
An employee alarm system that uses a distinctive signal for each purpose (and meets 1910.165).
- Describe the alarm (bells, horns, strobes, PA, text alerts) and how people who can't hear it are told.
- If different signals mean different things (evacuate, shelter in place, all clear), list each one.
8. Training and review (1910.38(e), (f))
Designate and train employees to assist in a safe and orderly evacuation, and review the plan with each employee when the plan is developed or they are first assigned to the job, when their responsibilities under the plan change, and when the plan changes.
- Name the evacuation wardens or assistants and the area each covers.
- Record when the plan was reviewed with each employee, and when drills were held.
Written or oral? Under 1910.38(b) the plan must be in writing, kept in the workplace and available to employees for review. An employer with 10 or fewer employees may communicate the plan orally to employees.
When to review it with employees (1910.38(f)): when the plan is developed or an employee is first assigned to the job, when an employee's responsibilities under the plan change, and whenever the plan changes.
This page and the template summarize the regulation in plain English; they are not legal advice, and using the template does not by itself meet any legal duty. Read the full text of 1910.38 and any standard that applies to your workplace.
The evacuation map: make it from your floor plan
Exit route assignments are easiest to follow on a map. Upload your floor plan as a PDF, photo or sketch, mark the exits and routes, and print a map for every floor with the map key, "You are here" and the steps already on it. Then put it on the last page of your plan and post it in the workplace. Free to make and print.
Questions
What is an emergency action plan?
A written plan that says what employers and employees do in a workplace emergency such as a fire: how to report it, how to evacuate and by which routes, who shuts down critical operations, how everyone is accounted for, who does rescue or medical duties, and who to ask about the plan.
Which workplaces need one under OSHA's rule?
29 CFR 1910.38 applies whenever another OSHA standard requires an emergency action plan. Process safety management (1910.119) and grain handling (1910.272) are two examples. Check the standards that apply to your work, and use a plan anyway if you are unsure: it is good practice for any workplace.
Does a small business need a written plan?
Under 1910.38(b), the plan must be in writing, kept in the workplace and available to employees. An employer with 10 or fewer employees may communicate the plan orally instead. Many small employers still write it down so nothing is forgotten.
How is an emergency action plan different from a fire prevention plan?
A fire prevention plan (29 CFR 1910.39) is about preventing fires: the major fire hazards, how they are controlled and who maintains the equipment. The emergency action plan is about what people do when an emergency happens. Some standards call for both.
Does this template make my plan meet OSHA's rule?
No template can do that on its own. It gives you a section for each element the rule lists, but the procedures you write must fit your workplace and its hazards. Read the full regulation, and get professional advice if you need it.