Emergency Action Plan Template — OSHA 29 CFR 1910.38 Compliant
The universal written emergency action plan required of every employer with 11+ employees. Covers fire response, evacuation, accountability, rescue, and severe-weather scenarios.
When this template is required
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.38 requires every employer with 11 or more employees to have a written emergency action plan. Smaller employers may communicate orally but most still maintain a written plan.
Why this template
Universal mandate, universal product
Every employer with 11+ employees needs this. OSHA inspectors typically ask for it within the first 10 minutes of any inspection.
Covers the 6 required EAP elements under 1910.38
Emergency reporting; evacuation procedures and routes; critical-operations shutdown; accountability after evacuation; rescue and medical duties; names of individuals for further information.
Includes severe-weather and active-shooter addenda
OSHA doesn't require these, but most insurance carriers and HR compliance frameworks do. The base EAP + 3 addenda gives a complete package.
Annual review log built in
EAPs must be reviewed when initially developed, when new hazards arise, and when employee responsibilities change. The review log captures these touchpoints.
What you receive
- Editable EAP (Word .docx)
- Evacuation route diagram template
- Employee accountability roster template
- Emergency contact list template
- Severe weather response addendum (tornado, hurricane, earthquake)
- Active shooter response addendum
- Bomb threat response checklist
- Annual EAP review and update log
How you get it
This document is written and reviewed against the standard it cites, and it is ready now. The download link is emailed as soon as your payment clears.
Revisions included — if something about your operation changes what the document should say, reply to the delivery email and we will amend it.
Who buys this
- Office, retail, manufacturing, warehousing, healthcare — any workplace with 11+ employees
- Building owners producing a building-wide EAP for tenant compliance
- Multi-site companies standardising EAP across locations
- Insurance-required emergency planning
Frequently asked
Who needs an emergency action plan?
Under 29 CFR 1910.38, every employer with 11 or more employees must have a written EAP. Employers with 10 or fewer may communicate it orally, but most still maintain a written plan for clarity. EAPs are also required when triggered by other OSHA standards — for example, 1910.157(b)(2) (portable fire extinguishers), 1910.119(n) (process safety management), and 1910.120(l) (HAZWOPER).
What must an emergency action plan include?
Per 1910.38(c): (1) Procedures for reporting fires and other emergencies; (2) Procedures for emergency evacuation, including type of evacuation and exit route assignments; (3) Procedures to be followed by employees who remain to operate critical operations before evacuating; (4) Procedures to account for all employees after evacuation; (5) Procedures to be followed by employees performing rescue or medical duties; (6) Name or job title of every employee who may be contacted by employees who need more information.
How often does an emergency action plan need to be reviewed?
OSHA 1910.38(e) requires review (1) when the plan is initially developed, (2) whenever the employee's responsibilities or designated actions change, and (3) whenever the plan itself changes. Most employers review annually as best practice; some industries (healthcare, schools) review more frequently.
What's the difference between an EAP and a Fire Prevention Plan?
OSHA 1910.38 (EAP) covers response to emergencies that have already happened — fire, severe weather, active shooter. OSHA 1910.39 (Fire Prevention Plan) covers preventing fires in the first place — housekeeping, ignition sources, maintenance of fire equipment. Both are usually required at any workplace with fire hazards; they're complementary.
Does this template cover active shooter and severe weather response?
Yes. While OSHA 1910.38 doesn't require these specifically, the template includes both addenda — active shooter response and severe weather (tornado, hurricane, earthquake). Most insurance carriers and HR compliance frameworks require coverage of these scenarios.