We strive to protect building occupants, including our employees. Many years ago, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) formed to codify regulations in the area of employee protection.


OSHA’s standard for employee-alarm-notification systems applies to all employers that use an alarm system to satisfy any OSHA standard that, in turn, requires employers to provide emergency action early warning or sufficient reaction time for employees to safely escape the building or the immediate work area. Of course, the same concept embodied in the OSHA alarm system standard applies to all employers who develop an emergency-response plan to protect their employees from risk.


At minimum, OSHA’s emergency-action plan must include the following:


• Procedures for reporting a fire or other emergency


• Procedures for emergency evacuation, including type of evacuation and exit route assignments


• Procedures for employees to follow when they must remain to operate critical plant operations before they evacuate


• Procedures to account for all employees after evacuation


• Procedures employees must follow when they perform rescue or medical duties


• The name or job title of every employee that employees should contact when they need more information about the plan or an explanation of their duties under the plan


OSHA’s 29 CFR 1910.165 regulation requires the employee alarm system to provide warning for necessary emergency-action (as called for in the emergency action plan), to provide sufficient reaction time for safe escape of employees from the workplace or the immediate work area. In addition, the requirements that pertain to maintenance, testing and inspection apply to all local fire alarm signaling systems used for alerting employees, regardless of the other functions of the system.


The employee alarm must provide a distinctive and recognizable signal to prompt employees to evacuate the work area or to perform actions designated under the emergency-action plan. The employee alarm must produce a signal that all employees in the affected portions of the workplace can perceive above ambient noise levels or ambient light levels. An employer may use tactile devices to alert those employees who would not otherwise recognize the audible or visual alarm notification signal.


OSHA requires employers to establish procedures for sounding emergency alarms in the workplace. For workplaces with 10 or fewer employees, direct voice communication offers an acceptable procedure for sounding the alarm (provided all employees can hear it). Such workplaces do not need to have a backup system. The employer must ensure all devices, components, combinations of devices or systems constructed and installed comply with this standard and meet the definition of and requirements for the designation “approved.”


The employer has the responsibility to ensure all employee alarm systems continue in a fully operational condition except when undergoing repairs or maintenance. The employer must ensure that a test of the reliability and adequacy of nonsupervised employee alarm systems is made every two months and that the servicing, maintenance and testing of employee alarms are done by those trained in the designed operation and functions necessary for reliable and safe system operation.


There are similar requirements in NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code. However, by itself, NFPA 72 does not require the installation of a fire alarm system. Rather, a jurisdiction’s building code, fire code, or NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, serves that purpose.


Whether you follow OSHA requirements, the building code, fire code, or Life Safety Code, you must always determine the specific needs of the emergency communications system before starting any installation. The OSHA alarm standard applies to you if an OSHA standard specifically states that you must install an employee alarm system. You may find occupational safety and health standards at www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/evacuation/alarms.html.


As with any emergency-communications system, an employer’s first step determines how the facility will use the system and how the system should operate in emergency conditions. As a contractor providing such systems, you must actively question your customers about their protection goals and operational expectations. You must also know when you will need to address OSHA’s concerns and requirements.


While emergency-communications systems may not stop a terrorist incident, such a system—combined with an emergency-response plan—will enable concise and rapid communications that can help mitigate loss of life and injuries. Your knowledge of the codes and standards that affect emergency response and communications will prove beneficial to your customer and to your bottom line.