PNNL VPP Application - Hazard Prevention and Control

5. Emergency Preparedness

The Emergency Preparedness management system within PNNL's Standards-Based Management System (SBMS) provides expertise, guidance, oversight, training, and counsel related to implementing emergency preparedness activities and coordinating and directing the planning, preparedness, and response to emergency conditions and/or off-normal events.

Key functions are as follows:

Emergency planning includes ongoing efforts necessary to develop, distribute, and update emergency plans and procedures.
Emergency preparedness includes activities related to the acquisition of resources and facilities, training of response personnel, and the timely exercising of plans and procedures by means of drills and exercises to ensure effective response.
Readiness assurance includes reviews to ensure that emergency plans are consistent with hazards and appraisal programs so that emergency capabilities are adequate to implement the emergency plans. It also addresses the adequacy of timely needed improvements.
Emergency responses are those activities related to the effective and efficient management of an emergency that occurs.

Key responsibilities in the Emergency Preparedness Program are as follows:

Building Emergency Directors

assign and train building emergency response organizations
review and revise the building emergency plans and protective actions
maintain facility emergency response information and procedures
determine appropriate emergency event classification and provide emergency classification information in accordance with established procedures
direct the Hanford Occurrence Notification Center to initiate center activations, notifications, and predetermined protective actions in accordance with established procedures
implement predetermined protective and mitigating actions within their assigned building.

Immediate Managers and/or Building Managers secure event sites for preservation of evidence related to emergency events that occur under their responsibility.

Staff comply with Emergency Preparedness procedures and implement the appropriate emergency response, reporting, and notification processes, including using the single-point-of-contact to report events.

The SBMS subject area, Emergency Preparedness, provides required procedures for staff, immediate managers, zone wardens, staging area supervisors, building emergency directors, and the manager of Facility Operations. In particular, the subject area directs staff to:

know the telephone number to call in the event of an emergency (375-2400)
activate the appropriate alarm and call the emergency telephone number (375-2400) if you identify an emergency condition
report to your assigned staging area during an evacuation
avoid exposure to harmful or life-threatening conditions.

5. Emergency Preparedness

Webmaster: Julie Fisher
Last Revision: June 20, 2001
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