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During all major emergencies, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) policy requires that an organized effort be made to protect personnel from injury and minimize damage to property and the environment. All Laboratory resources can be made available to respond to a major emergency. More information is available to Laboratory employees at the Emergency Preparedness Web site.
This policy applies as the Laboratory prepares for, responds to, and recovers from a major emergency. It applies to:
A major emergency is defined as any significant deviation from planned or expected behavior or course of events that could endanger or adversely impact the health and safety of persons, property or infrastructure, the environment, the economic status, or the reputation of LBNL. A major emergency could include:
The LBNL Master Emergency Program Plan, LBNL/PUB-533, Rev. 2, provides a detailed description of the Emergency Management Program and includes information on emergency response, drills and exercises, emergency equipment, training, and administration. The Master Emergency Plan is based on the philosophy that suitable responses to major emergencies can only be attained when individuals react appropriately and knowledgeably.
The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is where the response to a major emergency at Berkeley Lab would be tracked, monitored, and managed. The EOC is located in the Fire House (Building 48). The training room (109) contains the necessary supplies and equipment to be quickly converted to direct emergency operations. The alternate EOC may be established at any location on or off site.
Berkeley Lab has an active drill and exercise program. In addition to an annual earthquake evacuation exercise, exercises involving activation of the EOC, volunteer auxiliary teams, and drills at selected buildings are conducted regularly. Berkeley Lab also participates in drills and exercises in collaboration with other agencies, businesses, and jurisdictions in Alameda County.
The EH&S Division Emergency Preparedness Program Manager is responsible for the procurement and maintenance of general emergency supplies such as rescue boxes and disaster trauma kits. Other special equipment to support the program is provided as necessary.
The EH&S Division Emergency Preparedness Program Manager coordinates with several groups within Berkeley Lab to ensure that the Laboratory maintains an emergency communications capability sufficient to meet the requirements of a response to a major disaster. They include:
The EH&S Division Emergency Preparedness Program Manager administers and coordinates the emergency training program for employees other than professional first responders. Emergency preparedness training available to all Laboratory employees includes First Aid, Adult CPR, Fire Extinguisher Use, Earthquake/Wildland Fire Safety, and Building Emergency Team Training/Seminars. This training is recorded in the training database by the EH&S Division.
The EH&S Division Emergency Preparedness Program Manager provides support to the building managers in coordinating activities of the building emergency teams (BETs) located in each building throughout the Laboratory. Support includes providing supplies and equipment, and coordinating training, drills, and exercises. Roles and responsibilities of the Building Manager are contained in the LBNL Building Manager Policy and Procedures. Roles and responsibilities for the BETs are contained in the Sitewide Building Emergency Plan.
All BET personnel must receive training in:
It is recommended (but not required) that they also receive training in:
See the EH&S Training Web site for information about these courses.
Professional first responders are the designated group(s) of personnel responsible for coping with and minimizing or mitigating the effects of any emergency. The first-responder groups at LBNL are Fire Security, EH&S, and Facilities.
LBNL contracts its fire and security services to outside vendors. First-responder training, in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.120, is required for Fire Department staff only and is provided by the contract vendor. For training purposes, all other responders are considered to be supporting the first responders.
The Laboratory supports teams of employees organized to support professional first responders. These teams augment the response but are not expected to enter a hazardous zone. Individuals not trained in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.120 are prohibited from entering an area considered to be hazardous. Specialized training for volunteer auxiliary teams is the responsibility of the administering group. Teams include the following:
To report any emergency,
When reporting an emergency, it is important to identify yourself and be as specific as possible. Use the red/white EMERGENCY RESPONSE GUIDE as a guide and report the following:
WHEN REPORTING A TELEPHONE BOMB THREAT, see additional information in Section 9.12.6.
The law and DOE require prompt notification of all work-related EH&S incidents/accidents. Report all such events immediately to your supervisor and EH&S.
Report the emergency in accordance with the instructions under Section 9.11, Reporting an Emergency, or activate the fire alarms by using a fire pull box. Evacuate the building. Use a fire extinguisher only if you have been trained in fire extinguisher use, and only if you have a clear escape route. After evacuation, remain in the assembly area until the Building Manager or the Fire Department authorizes re-entry.
Report the emergency in accordance with the instructions under Section 9.11, Reporting an Emergency. If you are not near a phone or cannot leave the injured person, you may activate the nearest fire call box to summon help. Administer first aid or CPR only if you are trained to do so. Refrain from moving the victim unless he/she would suffer further injury by remaining in the area.
Remember SWIM:
S STOP. Stop and think. Stop working. Stop the spill.
W WARN OTHERS. Alert others in the area and report the incident immediately in accordance with the instructions under Section 9.11, Reporting an Emergency.
I ISOLATE THE AREA and restrict access. Keep doors closed.
M MONITOR YOURSELF CAREFULLY AND COMPLETELY. Prevent unnecessary contamination or cross-contamination.
S STAY IN OR NEAR THE AREA. Minimize your movements and notify your supervisor.
Additional response information for radiation, chemical, or biological spills can be found in the red/white EMERGENCY RESPONSE GUIDE.
If you are inside, drop, cover, and hold by getting under a desk or table, and holding on until the shaking stops. Stay clear of windows, bookcases, or any apparatus that may fall. After the shaking stops, gather your personal belongings, such as brief cases, umbrellas, or purses and evacuate the building. Do not use the elevator.
If you are outside, stay away from buildings and overhead power lines. Be aware of falling rocks or landslides. Move to the assembly area for the building after the shaking stops.
If you are in a motor vehicle, stop in a safe open area away from buildings, trees, and overhead power lines. Do not park near the edge of a hill because the roadway may shift and cause the vehicle to slide down the hill. Remain in the vehicle and allow emergency vehicles to pass.
Do not attempt to leave the Laboratory immediately following the earthquake. Roads and access routes must be kept clear for emergency vehicles. Landslides may block the roads. Information about the status of roads and buildings will be broadcast to building managers over the building manager radio network.
Berkeley Lab's Wildland Fire Evacuation Plan has three steps for all employees. For more information, see LBNL/PUB-535, Wildland Fire Evacuation/Relocation Plan.
If you receive a telephone bomb threat, attempt to keep the caller on the line as long as possible and note:
THEN: Report the bomb threat, following the procedures in Section 9.11, and
evacuate. The back page of the LBNL telephone directory describes the building
evacuation procedures to be used in the event of a bomb threat.
Precautions for those who open mail: If you receive suspicious mail, do not open it and immediately call 7911. Characteristics of suspicious mail:
If you have opened a letter or package that you believe contains biological or chemical material, don't panic. Follow these three steps:
Precautions for those who routinely sort, handle, or distribute mail:
Sudden power outages can occur at any time and for a variety of reasons. The Berkeley Lab plan for managing a sudden power outage is detailed in the Energy Emergency Briefing Book, available in the Emergency Preparedness office.
Advance information and updated reports of a power outage will be communicated
in a variety of ways, including the Hill PA system, the building manager radio
system, Level-1 e-mails, broadcast voice mail, and the employee emergency 800
number.
During a power outage warning (outage is pending or possible), employees should
do the following:
During a power outage, employees should do the following:
Berkeley Lab employees may be advised to shelter in place during situations
where they would be safer inside rather than outside a building. For example:
An atmospheric release of materials considered dangerous to public health, where
evacuation is NOT a viable option; a fast-moving firestorm; or a workplace violence
incident.
Procedures for sheltering in place include:
If a disaster occurs during other than normal working hours, you may dial the Laboratorys emergency status information number to listen to a recorded message, which will provide you with information regarding the Laboratorys status.
To obtain emergency status information, dial 1-800-445-5830. This number is also located on the back of your Laboratory ID/proximity card.
LBNL subscribes to an “Enhanced 911” service that allows emergency responders to locate the origin of an emergency call by identifying the caller's E-911 information such as the caller's building number, room number, and telephone extension. When a call is placed to 7911 or 9-911 from LBNL locations, the caller's E-911 information will be automatically transmitted to the emergency service dispatcher.
It is imperative to maintain the accuracy of the information in the E911 database.
Therefore, all telephone moves, adds, and changes, and all office/cubicle layout
changes, room number changes, or signage must go through the Work Request Center
in the Facilities Department.
According to the LBNL Master Emergency Plan, specific responsibilities are assigned to the following during a major emergency:
LBNL's emergency management organization is consistent with the Incident Command System. the Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS), and the National Incident Management System (NIMS) used by federal, state, and local jurisdictions to manage emergency response to disasters.
All Berkeley Lab employees are expected to be familiar with emergency procedures described in PUB-3000, and on the Emergency Preparedness Web page.
All employees not in an emergency response group but involved in a major emergency are responsible for:
All employees not involved in an emergency are responsible for:
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