Individual Emergency Response Plans

1. Policy

The College has developed procedures for emergency circumstances such as fire, bomb threats and violent acts, among others. An emergency situation affects everyone different and employees with permanent or temporary disabilities will be accommodated with an Individual Emergency Response Plan (IERP) when requested. Emergency procedures and plans will be available in accessible formats or with appropriate communication supports, when requested.

2. Scope

• 2.1 This policy is applicable to all College employees with temporary or permanent disabilities who need assistance in an emergency situation or accommodation in order to access the College Emergency Response Plan (ERP).

3. Definitions

• 3.1 Accessible Information:
  • altering or recreating the document in a different format that allows a person with a disability to better understand the information. Examples include:
    • increasing the font size in documents
    • reading the material aloud (communication support)
    • adding captions to videos
• 3.2 Support Team:
  • employees who normally work in the same area as the employee with a disability who volunteers to provide assistance to the employee in an emergency situation.

4. Responsibilities

• 4.1 College Employees will:
  • When needed, self-identify as having a disability that requires an individual emergency response plan or ERP information in an accessible format.
  • In consultation with your manager and Health and Safety Coordinator, develop an appropriate emergency response plan that addresses your. individual needs.
  • Identify a possible support team, if appropriate.
  • Practice the individual emergency response plan with your support team.
  • Advise their manager and/or the Occupational Health & Safety Coordinator if their workplace location changes, the employee’s disability-related needs changes or the IERP is no longer needed.
• 4.2 Supervisors and Managers will:
  • If aware of a disability that could affect their employee’s ability to respond to an emergency situation, ask your employee if they would need help in an emergency and if so, encourage them to request an IERP.
  • When an employee self-discloses that they have a disability that affects their ability to respond in an emergency, seek support from the Health & Safety Coordinator and participate in the development of an IERP.
  • When needed, ensure a volunteer support team from the work area is in place and arrange for practice opportunities for all involved.
• 4.3 Occupational Health and Safety Coordinator will:
  • When requested, coordinate the development of an IERP for employees with disabilities, with the employee’s manager and Emergency Manager.
  • Annually, advise the College community of the availability of IERPs for employees with disabilities.
• 4.4 The Emergency Manager will:
  • When requested, arrange to provide the ERP in an appropriate accessible format.
  • Assist with the development of IERPs.
  • Communicate any special needs relating to an IERP to other EmergencyResponse Team members, as needed.

5. Procedure

• 5.1 An employee with a disability will advise their manager and/or the Health & Safety Coordinator that they require assistance in an emergency situation.
• 5.2 The manager and/or the Health & Safety Coordinator will provide the employee with Form OHS-014(A) “Employee Emergency Information Worksheet”.
• 5.3 The employee will complete the applicable sections on the form to use as a guide for providing the specific assistance and return it to the Health & Safety Coordinator.
• 5.4 The Health & Safety Coordinator will:
  • Review the information on the submitted form and consult with the employee to clarify what assistance is needed and the barriers the employee anticipates during an emergency situation,
  • Meet with the employee’s manager and Emergency Manager as necessary to understand if the employee’s preferred method of assistance is appropriate and safe for them and others who may be involved; if not, discuss possible alternatives,
  • When appropriate, work with the employee and manager to organize a support team from the work area to provide assistance in an emergency.
• 5.5 The manager will ensure that the employee and any support team members clearly understand what their role is during an emergency; provide an opportunity for them to conduct a run-through of the IERP to verify roles are clear and to identify any gaps or possible problems that may need to be addressed.
• 5.6 All community members involved in developing or supporting a person with a disability must respect the employee’s right to privacy and may not discuss or communicate information about the disability to others.
• 5.7 The manager will review the IERP with the employee annually or sooner if circumstances change with the employee (e.g. changes to employee location or schedule, disability-related needs or the College’s ERP) the IERP may need to be updated.

6. Related Documents and Links

• Form A: Employee Emergency Information Worksheet
• ERP 001 Emergency Response Plan (Main Campus)
• OHS 018 Emergency Response Plan (Bancroft Campus)

7. References

• Ontario Ministry of Community & Social Services “Accessibility Standard for Employment – Providing Emergency Response Information for Employees with Disabilities”
• HRSDC – “Planning for Safety – Evacuating People who Need Assistance in an Emergency”