Throughout history, there have been numerous examples of poor workplace environments that have resulted in the injury or death of employees, and many of these employers have been accused of having a “profit before people” mentality. Unfortunately, this complaint still rings true today across many industries, including the funeral profession. In response, the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 was passed, which established the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

This course is designed to help employers and employees understand the importance of workplace safety and how developing an emergency action plan, as required by OSHA, can help minimize injuries and illness should an emergency occur in a funeral establishment. It examines the reasons why OSHA was created, the components of a safe workplace, the purpose and scope of an emergency action plan, and how to design and implement a plan.

Upon conclusion of this course, students should be able to:

• recognize the purpose of an emergency action plan
• state the required components of an organizational emergency action plan
• recognize other types of information that may be helpful to include in an emergency action plan
• list the types of organizations required to have an emergency action plan
• understand the importance of training employees on how to respond in an emergency situation
• recognize the resources that are available to help funeral establishments develop an emergency action plan