Emergency Action Plans & Incident Reporting

Most workers have never had to activate an emergency action plan in a real incident. When something serious happens, people freeze, panic, or take actions that make things worse — calling a supervisor before 911, moving an injured worker, altering the scene. The only way to respond correctly under pressure is to know the plan before you need it. This talk covers what to do in the first 60 seconds, and why near-miss reporting may be the most important safety habit on your site.

1. Know your site's Emergency Action Plan before you need it: evacuation routes, assembly points, who calls 911, and the nearest hospital address.
2. In a serious injury: call 911 first, then notify your supervisor. Do not move the injured worker unless they are in immediate danger from the environment.
3. OSHA requires employers to report any work-related fatality within 8 hours, and any inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or eye loss within 24 hours.
4. Near-misses must be reported — they are warnings the system is about to fail. Companies that investigate near-misses prevent fatalities. No punishment for reporting.
5. Document the scene immediately: photos, positions, witness names, what was happening when the incident occurred. This is critical for investigation.
6. Do not alter the scene of a serious incident before OSHA arrives, except to remove hazards that put other workers at immediate risk.
7. Workers have the legal right to report injuries without retaliation. Employer retaliation for injury reporting is a federal violation under Section 11(c) of the OSH Act.