Emergency Response Procedures¶

This document describes Scott Recycling's response procedures for workplace emergencies. Post a printed copy at every warehouse entry, every office, and every vehicle. This is the document someone needs when something has gone wrong — it must be immediately accessible.

Emergency Phone Numbers¶

Call 911 for any life-threatening emergency. Do not hesitate.

Situation	Call
Medical emergency, fire, serious injury	911
Non-emergency police	(TO BE FILLED — local non-emergency line)
Poison Control	1-800-222-1222
TDEC Emergency Response (environmental spills)	1-888-891-8332 (24/7)
National Response Center (federal spills)	1-800-424-8802

Internal Contacts¶

(TO BE FILLED — update with actual phone numbers)

Role	Name	Phone	Notes
Owner / Emergency Coordinator	Dan	(phone)	Primary contact for any emergency
Backup Emergency Coordinator	(designated)	(phone)	If Dan unreachable
Facility Manager	(name)	(phone)	Facility operations
HR / Employee Injuries	(name)	(phone)	Workers comp, injury reporting
IT / System Outages	(name)	(phone)	Server, network, phone system
Insurance Agent	(name)	(phone)	Claims initiation

Utility Emergencies¶

(TO BE FILLED)

Utility	Company	Phone
Electric	(provider)	(phone)
Gas	(provider)	(phone)
Water	(provider)	(phone)
Alarm / Security	(monitoring company)	(phone)

Medical Emergency¶

If someone is injured or ill:¶

Call 911 immediately for any of:
Loss of consciousness
Difficulty breathing
Chest pain
Severe bleeding
Head, neck, or back injury
Burns (chemical, electrical, or large)
Seizures
Severe allergic reaction
Amputation or crushing injury
Do NOT move the injured person unless they're in immediate danger (fire, electrical hazard, unstable structure)
Clear the area — keep others back to give responders room
Send someone to meet EMS at the main entrance and guide them to the injured person
Stay with the injured person — provide first aid within your training, keep them calm, talk to them
Notify:
Dan (or backup emergency coordinator)
HR (for workers comp documentation)
Preserve the scene — don't clean up or move equipment until an incident report is filed and photos are taken (unless it creates additional hazard)
Document everything — witnesses, time, what happened, what was done. See Incident Reporting section below.

First Aid Station Locations¶

(TO BE FILLED — map the locations)

Warehouse receiving area: (location)
Warehouse processing area: (location)
Office area: (location)
Every company vehicle: first aid kit in glove box or behind seat

AED Location¶

(TO BE FILLED — if AED is on site, document location. If not, note "No AED on site" and the nearest defibrillator location if known.)

Fire¶

If you discover a fire:¶

Activate the fire alarm (pull station near exits)
Call 911 — give the address, nature of fire, and your name
Evacuate via nearest safe exit — DO NOT use elevators
Account for everyone at the assembly point
Do NOT re-enter the building until the fire department gives the all-clear

Small, contained fire (use fire extinguisher only if trained and safe):¶

Use the PASS method: Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle, Sweep side to side
Know your fire type and extinguisher class:
Class A (paper, wood, cloth): water, foam, ABC
Class B (flammable liquids): foam, CO2, ABC (NOT water)
Class C (electrical): CO2, ABC (NOT water)
Class D (metals like lithium in batteries): Class D extinguisher only
Class K (cooking oils): wet chemical only
If the fire is growing or you can't reach the exit after 30 seconds of attack: RETREAT AND EVACUATE

Fire extinguisher locations¶

(TO BE FILLED — map per facility)

Battery / Lithium Fires (Special Case)¶

Lithium-ion battery fires are different and more dangerous: - Standard ABC extinguishers may not work — lithium fires can self-sustain - Produce toxic gases — evacuate further and upwind - Can reignite after being extinguished — do not assume "out" - Strategy: evacuate, call 911, let fire department handle with proper equipment - Battery storage area has (Class D extinguisher / fire suppression / containment — TO BE FILLED) - If a battery is smoking or swelling but not yet on fire: isolate it in a non-combustible container outdoors, away from other batteries, call 911 if it escalates

Evacuation Routes & Assembly Points¶

(TO BE FILLED — mark on facility floor plan, post at every exit)

Primary exit: (location)
Secondary exit: (location)
Tertiary exit: (location)
Assembly point: (location — outdoor area at safe distance from building)

Every employee must know at least two exit routes from their work area.

Chemical / Material Spill¶

For any spill:¶

Assess the hazard — can you safely address it, or do you need to evacuate?
Alert nearby workers — call out or use PA
Isolate the area — keep others away
Stop the source if safely possible (close a valve, upright a container)
Contain the spill — use spill kit absorbents to prevent spread
Notify Dan / Compliance Officer
For reportable quantities: notify TDEC Emergency Response (1-888-891-8332) and NRC (1-800-424-8802) within required timeframes

Spill Kit Locations¶

(TO BE FILLED — map per facility)

Oil/petroleum spill kit: (location)
General chemical spill kit: (location)
Battery acid neutralizer: (location)
CRT glass / mercury spill kit: (location)

Reportable Quantities¶

Certain spill quantities trigger mandatory reporting to TDEC and/or EPA: - Oil (to water): any visible sheen → NRC notification required - Hazardous substances: check RQ per CERCLA (varies by substance) - Battery acid: large spills — notify TDEC - CRT glass/mercury: notify TDEC

When in doubt, report. The cost of over-reporting is zero. The cost of under-reporting is legal liability.

After the Spill¶

Document everything: what spilled, quantity, cause, response, cleanup, disposal
File an incident report (see below)
Preserve cleanup materials properly — contaminated absorbents become hazardous waste
Review procedures to prevent recurrence

See Environmental Compliance for detailed spill response and reporting.

Severe Weather¶

Tornado Warning¶

Move to the designated shelter area — interior rooms away from windows
Stay low — get under sturdy furniture if possible
Wait for all-clear from NWS or emergency broadcast
After the storm: check for injuries, assess damage, do NOT touch downed power lines

Shelter Locations¶

(TO BE FILLED — identify interior windowless rooms per facility)

Thunderstorm / Lightning¶

Suspend outdoor work when lightning is within 6 miles
Do not operate forklifts outdoors during active lightning
Stay away from tall equipment, metal objects
Shelter in building; avoid open doors

Winter Weather¶

Monitor forecasts; plan ahead
Dan decides on early closure or delayed opening
Clear ice from entry areas
Salt/sand on walkways
Heat protection for water pipes

Flooding¶

Move inventory and equipment to higher areas if warning is given
Shut off electrical power to affected areas
Evacuate if rising water threatens the building
Do NOT drive through flooded roads

Workplace Violence / Active Threat¶

If you observe threatening behavior:¶

Don't engage — create distance
Alert others discreetly
Call Dan or a supervisor if safe to do so
Call 911 if the threat is imminent or physical

Active Shooter / Active Threat¶

RUN → HIDE → FIGHT (in that order):

RUN — if there's a safe escape route, leave immediately
Leave belongings
Help others escape if possible
Keep hands visible
Call 911 when safe
HIDE — if you can't escape
Find a room with a door that locks
Barricade with furniture if no lock
Silence phones
Turn off lights
Stay out of sight of windows and doors
Stay quiet until all-clear
FIGHT — as a last resort only
Commit fully
Use anything as a weapon
Target vulnerable areas

When police arrive:¶

Keep hands visible, empty, and raised
Follow all commands immediately
Do NOT reach for anything
Do NOT run toward them
Provide information if asked: location of threat, number of people, weapons, injuries

System / IT Emergency¶

Server Outage (EXP / Odoo down)¶

Check basic connectivity — is the internet working?
Notify IT administrator (see contacts above)
Communicate to staff — "systems are down, use manual procedures"
Continue operations with paper backup:
Pickups: handwritten weight tickets
Phones: use mobile phones
Dispatch: printed route list from yesterday
Log all transactions that need to be entered when system returns

Phone System Outage¶

Cell phones become primary communication
Forward business line to cell phone if possible
Post notice on website chat (if website still works)
Notify customers expecting callbacks

Data Breach / Security Incident¶

See HIPAA Breach Response Plan
Preserve evidence — do not wipe or reformat anything
Notify Dan immediately
Notify legal counsel
Document the timeline

Disaster Recovery section A10 — full DR plan

Incident Reporting¶

Every incident must be documented, regardless of whether someone was injured or damage occurred.

What to Document¶

Date, time, location of the incident
People involved — names, roles, contact info
Witnesses — names, contact info, statements
What happened — factual description, no speculation
What was done — first response actions, who was notified, when
Injuries — type, severity, medical treatment
Property damage — description, photos, estimated cost
Root cause (if determinable) — what led to this
Corrective actions — what will be done to prevent recurrence
Photos — scene, damage, injuries (with consent), relevant equipment

Who Reports¶

The employee involved (if able)
The supervisor (always)
The witness (if applicable)

Where It Goes¶

Internal incident report form → Dan
Workers comp notification → HR → insurance carrier (within 24 hours for injuries)
OSHA recordable injuries → OSHA 300 log (within 7 days)
Serious incidents (hospitalization, amputation, eye loss) → OSHA (within 24 hours)
Fatalities → OSHA (within 8 hours)
Environmental incidents → TDEC / NRC per reportable quantity rules
HIPAA breaches → see HIPAA Breach Response

Post-Emergency¶

After any emergency:

Account for all personnel — nobody leaves until everyone is accounted for
Check for injuries — visible and delayed-onset
Secure the facility — damaged equipment, structural concerns
Document everything — photos, statements, timeline
Notify insurance for any covered incident
File required reports per section above
Debrief within 48 hours — what went well, what went wrong, what to improve
Update procedures based on lessons learned

Training Requirements¶

Every employee must receive this training:

Within first week: this document reviewed, evacuation routes shown, assembly point identified
Annually: full emergency response refresher including fire extinguisher use, first aid basics
Drill schedule:
Fire drill: 2x per year (unannounced)
Severe weather drill: 1x per year (spring)
Other drills: as identified by risk assessment

Document all training in hr_skills.

Review Schedule¶

Quarterly: review contact numbers, verify they're current
Annually: full procedure review, update for any facility changes
After any incident: review procedures that were used, update as needed

Workplace Safety — OSHA, PPE, general safety procedures
Environmental Compliance — detailed spill response procedures
HIPAA Breach Response Plan — data breach procedures
DOT Compliance — vehicle accident procedures