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Emergency Plans for Workers

Workers can only follow a plan they have seen, understood and practiced. Written, plain language planning protects family members and hired help alike.

Why do workers need a written plan?

In an emergency, people act on what they have been told. New, seasonal or part time workers may not know where the exits are, who calls 911 or what to do if the farm loses power or phone service. A written plan puts those answers in one place.

OSHA publishes guidance on emergency action planning, and requirements for a given farm depend on its size, what it does and the state it is in. Ask OSHA or your state program what applies to you rather than assuming.

Even where no rule requires a written plan, the habit protects people and speeds up response.

What should the plan include?

Cover how to report an emergency, how to evacuate, where to meet, who accounts for everyone and who meets responders. Add the farm address, entrances and key hazards such as fuel, chemicals and storage structures.

Include what to do when someone is working alone, when the weather turns, and when equipment fails. Keep the language short and the steps clear.

The plan should name a person who owns it, and a back up. Review it with an experienced advisor such as your extension safety educator.

• Reporting an emergency and calling 911
• Evacuation routes and a meeting place
• Roles: caller, greeter, headcount
• Hazards, shutoffs and storage locations

How do we reach workers who speak different languages?

Provide the plan, signs and training in the languages your workers use, and use pictures where they help. Ask workers to say the key steps back to you so you know the message was understood.

Do not rely on a single bilingual worker to translate for everyone. If you are unsure, ask your extension office or a local worker organization about resources.

Pictures and symbols on signs can help everyone, but they do not replace a spoken walk through. Hold training at a time and place that works for the crew, and pay people for the time.

How should training work?

Walk through the plan with every new worker on the first day, and again at the start of each season. Practice with real scenarios, such as a fire in the shop or an injury in a field, and ask questions to check understanding.

For skills like first aid and CPR, use hands-on classes from the American Red Cross or other recognized providers. Training for specific hazards, such as confined spaces or chemicals, should come from OSHA, NIOSH-supported centers or extension programs.

Short refresher talks work well before a known risk, such as harvest, spraying or pit pumping. Keep a sign in sheet and note any questions that came up.

What about young workers?

Youth work rules in agriculture are set by the U.S. Department of Labor and by states. Confirm what applies to the tasks you are assigning with the Wage and Hour Division before you assign them.

Young workers need extra supervision and clear limits, and parents should know the farm's emergency plan.

Housing, if you provide it, should have its own plan with exits, alarms and an address that responders can find. Ask your fire department and the agencies that regulate worker housing in your state what applies.

How do we handle reporting and fear of retaliation?

Workers should feel safe to report hazards, injuries and near misses. State clearly that no one will be punished for raising a safety concern or calling for help.

OSHA explains workers' rights on its website. Share that information, and make sure people know who to talk to on the farm.

Make reporting simple, with more than one person a worker can go to and a way to report in their own language. Follow up on every report and tell people what was done.

How do we keep the plan alive?

Review the plan after any incident, near miss or change in the operation. Update contacts, maps and roles, and re-train as needed.

Ask workers what is unclear, and fix it. A plan that workers help shape is more likely to be followed.

Share your lessons with other farms through your extension office or a farm organization. Neighbors often face the same problems. Ask your extension office whether a template exists, and adapt it to your farm instead of copying one word for word.

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Farm Safety Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.