Fire and Explosion Planning Checklist:
Incorporating Arson and Explosive Device Incidents
Yellow Zone
I. Planning
1. Does your current fire prevention plan identify arson and
explosive device incidents as fire hazards that may affect the workplace?
Yes
No
In conjunction with local law enforcement and local emergency
planning officials, evaluate the risk of an arson or explosive device threat/incident.
Note: Resources that may assist you in determining the status
of your workplace and/or identify workplace targets include the
on-line resources from the South Carolina Department of Labor,
Licensing and Regulation and from the National Institute of Justice,
and agencies such as the local fire department, police
department, and
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives;
your insurance carrier (often have fire prevention
specialists); or on-site security specialists.
Add arson and explosive device incidents to your current list of workplace fire hazards and ignition sources covered by the plan
OR state that the plan does not address these workplace
fire hazards/ignition sources and indicate where the information
about controlling/responding to these fire hazards is
located.
Review your current procedures (handling/storage,
accumulation control, maintenance) to ensure that they are up-to-date and to see if they adequately
address prevention and control of fires/explosions initiated by
arson or an explosive device. For example, consider addressing physical
security, like isolating and locking flammable material storage
areas, in your procedures.
Review the rest of the plan to ensure that it is up-to-date and ensure that the existing
ignition source controls and fire protection equipment are
appropriate for fires/explosions initiated by arson or an explosive device .
Address the considerations identified throughout this checklist
OR develop a plan that addresses arson or explosive device incidents
and is consistent with the considerations identified in the rest
of this checklist.
On-line Resources
To conduct an evaluation of your workplace as a potential
terrorist target and identify potential workplace hazards,(for chemical facilities) the
National Institute of Justice's (NIJ) Chemical
Facility Vulnerability Assessment Methodology
State plan States. Contact Information to obtain additional information about equivalent State plan standards, requirements, and guidance.
2. Do your current handling/storage procedures and ignition
source controls address fires initiated by arson, and fires or
explosions initiated by explosive devices?
Yes
No
Identify locations that may be prime areas for arson or for
explosive device placement, such as abandoned structures, unsecured
mechanical spaces or other unoccupied spaces, flammable chemical
storage areas, shrubs or trash dumpsters. You may want to mark
these locations on separate facility blueprints or floor plans
and provide the information to employees who will need it to
perform their assigned roles.
Include instructions for employees to follow if they receive
an arson/explosive device threat or encounter a suspicious
situation/device. Explicitly warn against handling/attempting to defuse a device.
Add to your plan any additional contact information for local
emergency responders who deal with explosive devices.
Identify any additional employee roles that may be needed to
carry out procedures/controls related to explosive device/arson
incidents.
3. Do you need additional fire protection equipment for arson
or explosive device hazards?
Yes
No
Identify and install any additional heat or fire detection
equipment that may be necessary to detect a fire/explosion
initiated by arson or an explosive device. Surveillance equipment and/or
intruder alarm systems also could be considered.
4. Are additional procedures necessary to control the
accumulation of combustible materials that may contribute to a
fire or explosion initiated by arson or an explosive device
Yes
No
Identify any additional procedures necessary to address the accumulation of combustible materials in workplace locations that may be targets for arson
or explosive device placement such as abandoned/unoccupied buildings,
mechanical spaces, fuel storage areas, and trash dumpsters. For
example, you may consider removing all combustible materials from
a vacant/unoccupied building and securing the building (doors
and windows) to prevent off-hour dumping. You might also consider
securing your dumpsters and scheduling more frequent trash
removal. Note: In general, good housekeeping can benefit
basic fire prevention.
Identify heavy shrubs, vines, or tall grasses growing inside,
around, or along the perimeter of your workplace.
Consider removing them or keeping them trimmed close
to the ground to help prevent the concealment of an arsonist or
explosive device and eliminate the potential for propagating fires ignited
outside the workplace.
1. Will your employees need additional training about arson
or explosive device hazards
Yes
No
Identify fires/explosions initiated by arson or an explosive device as
potential workplace fire hazards and ignition sources in your
training. Depending on your own assessment of the risk of
publicly discussing this information, you could also identify the
locations that are likely workplace targets during training.
Address in your training how to recognize potentially
suspicious actions, behaviors, devices, or packages to raise
employee awareness of these hazards.
Address in your training any additional instructions for
employees to follow if they receive an arson/explosive device threat or
encounter a suspicious situation/device.
Identify any additional emergency responders that employees will
need to contact.
On-line Resources
ATF's
Training webpage includes training courses related to arson,
explosives, and incident investigation.
2. Will you assign any additional roles to your employees to address arson or explosive device hazards?
Yes
No
Identify any additional roles necessary for employees to
carry out your planned procedures related to fires/explosions
initiated by arson or an explosive device, an explosive device threat, or discovery of a
suspicious device.
Train employees on the instructions they should follow if
they receive an arson/explosive device threat.
Train employees to perform any additional handling/storage
procedures to prevent fires/explosions initiated by arson or a
explosive device. Address any additional hazards or tasks associated with
these procedures.
Train employees to perform any additional accumulation
control procedures related to fires/explosions initiated by arson
or an explosive device. Address any additional hazards or tasks associated
with these procedures.
Train employees to recognize the unusual circumstances (e.g.,
suspicious activity near hazardous substance storage area) and
suspicious devices that may be associated with potential arson or
explosive device threats.
Identify any additional training employees will need to
understand, use, or maintain additional ignition source controls
or fire protection equipment installed for fires/explosions
initiated by arson or an explosive device. Address any additional hazards or
tasks associated with the ignition source controls, fire
protection, or other emergency equipment installed for
fires/explosions initiated by arson or an explosive device.
III. Equipment
1. Will you need additional emergency equipment to address
arson or explosive device incidents?
Yes
No
Identify additional emergency equipment employees may need
during an arson/explosive device threat or fire/explosion initiated by arson
or an explosive device. Consider items such as additional first aid supplies and
communication devices.
Identify the location of the additional emergency equipment.
One option is to include the location of the equipment on the
maps/floor plans illustrating the evacuation routes. You may
refer to an existing emergency plan developed under either the Emergency Action Plan Standard
(29 CFR 1910.38) or the Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Standard (HAZWOPER) (29 CFR 1910.120).
Identify employees who can use the additional emergency equipment, based on assigned roles, physical capability, and training.
IV. Emergency Action Planning
Note: You may want to review your existing
Emergency Action Plan (EAP) with respect to arson and explosive device
incidents. You can use the following considerations to review
your plan. If you are not certain whether you need to have this
type of plan, please refer to Attachment B, Does Your Facility
Need an Emergency Action Plan? For information about
reviewing an existing EAP for terrorist releases of chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear material, please see
OSHA's Evacuation Planning Matrix.
1. Does your current Emergency Action Plan include procedures
that adequately address evacuation and response to fires or
explosions initiated by arson or an explosive device ?
Yes
No
Identify any additional/different evacuation routes and exits
necessary during a threat of (or an actual) fire/explosion caused by
arson or an explosive device. Consider alternating between several
evacuation locations during sequential events to avoid
the possibility of a secondary device or weapon. Ensure that
additional routes and exits accommodate the needs of all employees,
in accordance with any applicable provisions of the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Consider the need to address visitors, customers, and contractors in your emergency procedures. Identify any additional/different procedures necessary to assist these individuals reach safety during a threat of (or an actual) fire/explosion caused by
arson or an explosive device.
Specify any additional key personnel or roles necessary to
evacuate to an appropriate location outside the workplace during
an arson or explosive device incident.
Identify how you will account for employees who are evacuated
during an arson or explosive device incident, if this will differ from your existing procedures.
Identify how employees will be alerted when it is safe to
re-enter the workplace if they have been evacuated as the result
of an arson or explosive device incident, if this will differ from your existing procedures.
Review any critical equipment not currently addressed in your
plan that must be shut down in the event of an arson or explosive device
incident.
2. Do any of the additional procedures in your Fire
Prevention Plan affect the procedures identified in your current
Emergency Action Plan?
Yes
No
Identify procedures you have added to (or altered in) your Fire
Prevention Plan that may require additions/revisions in
your EAP. One example may be existing procedures for shutting
down/isolating critical process equipment. If your EAP does not
include shutdown procedures for arson or explosive device incidents, then you
may need to consider them. Some equipment may only become
"critical process equipment" during such an event. In this case,
you would need to add this equipment to your current EAP and
provide information similar to that included for
previously-identified critical equipment (e.g., shutdown
procedures, employee roles and responsibilities, training,
protective equipment, and contingencies for immediate
evacuation).
* Accessibility Assistance: Contact OSHA's Directorate of Enforcement Programs at (202) 693-2129 for assistance accessing PDF materials.
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