U.S. Department of Labor t www.osha.gov t (800) 321-OSHA (6742)

Agricultural Safety

Fact Sheet

Emergency Preparedness for Farmworkers

Farms, like most workplaces, face unexpected emergencies and disasters. Agricultural 

emergencies and disasters can be natural or man-made. To help lessen the impact of these 

events, employers and supervisors should develop and exercise an emergency action plan that 

prepares workers to react to and handle emergencies and disasters before they occur. 

What is an Emergency Action 

Plan (EAP)? 

An emergency action plan identifies and organizes employer and 

worker responsibilities in preparation for and when responding to a 

workplace emergency or disaster. Having a plan with the employer’s 

support and commitment and workers’ participation is key to an 

orderly evacuation and quick response. Developing and implementing 

an EAP can lessen confusion, decrease injuries, and limit destruction 

of property during and after a disaster or other emergency.

Agricultural Emergencies

 Natural: 

• tornadoes 

• hurricanes

• wildfires

• floods

• severe winter storms

• severe dust storms 

• lightning strikes

• earthquakes

Man-made:

• wildfires

• explosions or fires

• animal handling incidents

• grain entrapments

• power failures

• rotating and moving 

equipment incidents 

(Power take-off shafts, 

screw conveyors/augers)

• chemical releases or spills 

• amputations

• vehicle incidents (turnovers, 

rollovers) 

• workplace violence

• accidental poisoning 

How to Prepare an Emergency 

Action Plan

A well-documented EAP should ensure that emergency response 

procedures are established for before, during, and after an 

emergency. The plan should be broad enough to address all types 

of emergencies or disasters that could possibly occur on the farm. 

For smaller organizations, the EAP does not need to be written 

and may be communicated orally. Nevertheless, it is always a 

good practice to have a written emergency action plan. The best 

EAPs are customized for your specific farm operations and require 

time, thought and planning. Include workers and family members 

in the emergency preparedness planning process to help identify 

emergency or disaster situations that can impact the farm. The EAP 

should be revised once shortcomings have become known, and 

reviewed at least annually. The employer should review the EAP 

with each worker when:

• A new worker is hired

• The plan is developed

• The worker’s workplace 

responsibilities or designated 

actions under the plan change.

At a minimum, the EAP should include:

• Emergency escape procedures and routes.

• Procedures to account for workers.

• Procedures for workers who remain on site after the alarm sounds. 

• Duties for workers designated to perform rescue and 

medical functions.

• The preferred means for reporting emergencies.

• Contact(s) for further information or explanation of duties under 

the plan.
U.S. Department of Labor t www.osha.gov t (800) 321-OSHA (6742)

• Possible emergency events, incidents and life-threating situations.

• Emergency escape routes, shelter-in-place locations, and 

rally points.

• Floor plans and workplace maps.

• A chain of command to prevent confusion and to coordinate 

the work.

• Emergency communication equipment, such as two-way 

radios or a public address system for workers and first 

responder notification.

• Special equipment needed for emergencies and disaster response.

• Workers’ next-of-kin emergency phone numbers and contacts.

• Farm inventory that includes location of livestock, electrical 

shut-off locations, buildings and structures, and farm 

machinery/equipment makes and model numbers.

• Needed supplies, such as sandbags, fire extinguishers, gaspowered generators and hand tools.

• If needed, location of primary and secondary areas to relocate 

farm assets and workers. 

• Location of buildings in the vicinity that can be used as a 

command post or logistical assistance area. 

The employer should make workers aware of the potential man-made and natural workplace emergency 

situations that could have an impact on the farm.

Preplanning with First Responders

Implementing and exercising an emergency action plan should 

involve working with your local first responders or fire department. 

Invite them to walk your farm to gather and record important 

information that could be critical for making life-saving decisions 

at an incident, such as a grain bin entrapment, fire or natural 

disaster. Pre-planning allows first responders to become familiar 

with the following:

• Farm’s physical layout, including buildings and other structures. 

(e.g., grain bins)

• Hazardous chemicals (e.g., pesticides, anhydrous ammonia) 

and equipment (e.g., augers, PTOs).

• Locations where employees would be if an emergency 

occurred; important contacts, including daytime and nighttime 

contact Information.

• How utilities (e.g., electric, gas and water) can be controlled. 

• Evacuation plans, security, etc.

• Emergency first responder limitations. 

Training

Worker training may vary from operation to operation. Some 

employers set up formal classroom-style training for workers and 

others work one-on-one with workers. If workers are expected 

to perform adequately in an emergency, provision must be made 

for the training of both individuals and teams. Regardless of the 

training approach, worker training is an important part of a good 

emergency preparedness plan. Training should be conducted 

periodically or as needed to maintain workplace preparedness. 

In addition, training and training materials should be provided 

to workers in a language that they understand, because some 

workers may not speak English.

Workers should be trained in the 

following areas:

• Evacuation plans

• Alarm systems

• Reporting procedures for 

personnel

• Shutdown procedures

• Types of potential 

emergencies

Farm Exercises and Drills

Unless the plan is tested, it is difficult to predict all of the problems 

that may happen. Exercises and drills are excellent tools to minimize 

these potential problems. Nevertheless, exercises and drills should 

be conducted annually or as needed to practice all or critical 

portions (such as evacuation) of the emergency response plan. 

After each drill, exercise, or emergency incident, a meeting 

or review should be held to evaluate what happened, why it 

happened, and how it can be done better by the employer and 

worker(s) in the future. Furthermore, post exercise and drill 

meetings or reviews will identify areas that require improvements. 

Medical Service and First Aid

At least one person or persons, in the absence of an infirmary, clinic, 

or hospital in near proximity to the workplace, should be adequately 

trained to render first aid. It is also essential that basic first-aid 

supplies are available. Emergency phone numbers should be posted 

in visible places, inside farm vehicles, and on telephones.

For more information on first aid, see OSHA’s Best Practices 

Guide: Fundamentals of a Workplace First-Aid Program at 

www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3317first-aid.pdf.
U.S. Department of Labor t www.osha.gov t (800) 321-OSHA (6742)

Workplace Emergency Response Team 

A farm’s most valuable asset during the first few minutes of an 

emergency is a well-trained and disciplined emergency response 

team. A farm emergency response may be provided by an outside 

organization, such as the fire department or in some cases, the 

farm’s internal emergency response team. Workers who are 

members of the emergency response team should be thoroughly 

trained and physically capable of performing emergency response 

duties and responsibilities. They should also be knowledgeable 

about the hazards found on the farm. 

Team members should know when to take actions themselves or 

to wait on outside assistance when an emergency or disaster is 

too large to handle (i.e., the fire department).

One or more members on the team should be trained in:

• How and when to use various types of fire extinguishers

• First aid, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)

• Shutdown procedures

• Chemical spill control procedures

• Emergency rescue procedures

Contractors

Employers should alert contractors about the hazards found in the 

workplace, particularly regarding the work they are to perform. 

In any emergency situation, contractors should be able to take 

appropriate action as part of the EAP. 

Photo: iStock

Workers’ Rights

Workers have the right to:

• Working conditions that do not pose a risk of serious harm. 

• Receive information and training (in a language and vocabulary 

the worker understands) about workplace hazards, methods 

to prevent them, and the OSHA standards that apply to their 

workplace. Review records of work-related injuries and illnesses. 

• File a complaint asking OSHA to inspect their workplace if they 

believe there is a serious hazard or that their employer is not 

following OSHA’s rules. OSHA will keep all identities confidential.

• Exercise their rights under the law without retaliation, including 

reporting an injury or raising health and safety concerns with 

their employer or OSHA. If a worker has been retaliated against 

for using their rights, they must file a complaint with OSHA as 

soon as possible, but no later than 30 days.

For additional information, see OSHA’s Workers page.

For questions or to get information or advice, to report an emergency, fatality, inpatient hospitalization, amputation, 

or loss of an eye, to file a confidential complaint, or to request OSHA’s free on-site consultation service, contact your 

nearest OSHA office, visit www.osha.gov, or call OSHA at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742), TTY 1-877-889-5627. 

For more information on ATV safety and other issues affecting farmworkers, visit OSHA’s Safety and 

Health Topics Agricultural Operations website at www.osha.gov/dsg/topics/agriculturaloperations.

This is one in a series of informational fact sheets highlighting OSHA programs, policies or standards. It does not impose any 

new compliance requirements. For a comprehensive list of compliance requirements of OSHA standards or regulations, refer to 

Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations. This information will be made available to sensory-impaired individuals upon request. 

The voice phone is (202) 693-1999; teletypewriter (TTY) number: (877) 889-5627.

DSG FS-3870 06/2016