ASP Emergency Response Planning 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under OSHA's Process Safety Management (PSM) standard, emergency action plans for covered facilities must address which unique element compared to a standard EAP?
- Evacuation route color coding
- Release mitigation and process shutdown procedures (Correct answer)
- Employee headcount reporting intervals
- Visitor escort protocols during emergencies
Correct answer: Release mitigation and process shutdown procedures
PSM-covered facilities must include procedures for emergency shutdown and release mitigation specific to the highly hazardous chemical processes on site.
Question 2: Which document defines the minimum planning criteria for facilities that use, store, or release extremely hazardous substances above threshold planning quantities?
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.38
- SARA Title III / EPCRA (Correct answer)
- NFPA 1600
- DHS National Response Framework
Correct answer: SARA Title III / EPCRA
SARA Title III (Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act) requires Local Emergency Planning Committees to develop plans for facilities with EHS above threshold quantities.
Question 3: A shelter-in-place procedure is MOST appropriate when:
- A fire blocks the primary evacuation route
- An outdoor toxic vapor cloud threatens the area (Correct answer)
- A medical emergency occurs in a remote section of the building
- An active shooter is reported inside the facility
Correct answer: An outdoor toxic vapor cloud threatens the area
Shelter-in-place provides protection from outdoor airborne hazards by keeping occupants inside a sealed building, which reduces exposure to toxic vapors.
Question 4: In the Incident Command System (ICS), the Operations Section Chief reports directly to the:
- Logistics Section Chief
- Incident Commander (Correct answer)
- Planning Section Chief
- Safety Officer
Correct answer: Incident Commander
The Operations Section Chief is a member of the General Staff and reports directly to the Incident Commander.
Question 5: Which NFPA standard provides the comprehensive emergency management and business continuity program framework most often referenced by safety professionals?
- NFPA 10
- NFPA 72
- NFPA 1600 (Correct answer)
- NFPA 101
Correct answer: NFPA 1600
NFPA 1600 is the Standard on Continuity, Emergency, and Crisis Management and is the primary framework for emergency management programs.
Question 6: A post-incident analysis (hot wash) conducted immediately after a drill is primarily intended to:
- Update insurance documentation
- Capture immediate observations while details are fresh (Correct answer)
- Satisfy OSHA annual review requirements
- Reassign incident command roles for the next exercise
Correct answer: Capture immediate observations while details are fresh
A hot wash captures real-time feedback from participants immediately after a drill before memory fades, feeding into the formal after-action report.
Question 7: Which element of an Emergency Response Plan specifies how the organization will restore critical functions after a disruptive incident?
- Hazard vulnerability analysis
- Business continuity / recovery procedures (Correct answer)
- Command post location map
- Mutual aid agreements
Correct answer: Business continuity / recovery procedures
Business continuity and recovery procedures address restoring critical operations and are a core component of a comprehensive emergency response plan.
ASP Emergency Response Planning 4
Under OSHA's Process Safety Management (PSM) standard, emergency action plans for covered facilities must address which unique element compared to a standard EAP?