Emergency Response Planning Compliance: Preparing Warehouses For The Moments That Matter

Emergencies test your preparation, not your intentions

Warehouses are built for speed, volume, and repetition. Emergencies are the opposite. They are rare, unpredictable, and unforgiving. Emergency response planning compliance ensures that when alarms sound, confusion does not take over. It turns what could be chaos into a practiced response grounded in federal rules and real world experience.

OSHA sets the baseline through two major requirements: the Emergency Action Plan standard in 29 CFR 1910.38 and the Fire Prevention Plan standard in 1910.39. Together, these rules require employers to create written plans, train employees, maintain exit routes, and outline how fires, medical emergencies, and other incidents will be handled. For warehouses that store hazardous materials, additional expectations come from EPA, DOT, and local fire code, all working together to protect people and first responders.

What OSHA expects in an Emergency Action Plan

OSHA's Emergency Action Plan requirements in 29 CFR 1910.38 specify what every plan must include. At a minimum, it must explain how employees report emergencies, how evacuations will occur, what routes people must use, and how critical operations will be shut down if needed. It must list who is responsible for specific duties and how outside responders will be contacted.

Warehouse leaders often underestimate how detailed these plans must be. Routes must reflect real aisle widths, not perfect drawings. Accountability procedures must reflect how many people are in the building at peak, not just the average Tuesday. Plans must be written, shared, and updated whenever the workplace or processes change.

Fire prevention expectations that tie into daily work

The Fire Prevention Plan standard in 29 CFR 1910.39 requires identifying major fire hazards, ignition sources, handling procedures, and the people responsible for maintaining fire safety. For warehouses that store flammables, aerosols, batteries, or volatile liquids, these requirements connect directly to how products are slotted, how equipment is maintained, and how the building is cleaned.

Director of Vendor Operations Kay Hillmann explains how many ordinary goods create regulatory challenges. "We are certified in all hazardous materials. We were looking at a matches company, that is a hazardous material. We ship concrete sealant, that is hazardous, a different classification. Paint, your everyday paint you get from a home center, that is hazardous material. Flammables, like gas power generators, that is hazardous material. Perfumes, alcohol." Each of those products affects the fire plan.

How emergency planning connects to hazardous materials

For facilities handling hazardous materials, emergency planning also intersects with EPA's hazardous waste rules, DOT's hazardous materials regulations, and local fire code. Spills, leaks, damaged goods, and incompatible storage can escalate quickly without a clear response structure.

Chief Revenue Officer John Pistone points out how regulations escalate with more dangerous products. "If you have a lithium ion battery that is greater than 300 watt hours, it is considered fully regulated. That means there is special packaging that it has to have. Everybody who touches it has to be certified. You have specific requirements in your warehouses, like the type of sprinkler systems." Fully regulated batteries also require stronger emergency response procedures.

Culture determines how people respond under stress

Emergency response plans succeed when people trust the system enough to act without hesitation. CTO and COO Bryan Wright describes the kind of culture that supports that. "I think that just comes to being fair with people, understanding, and just being a person. Caring about your employees." When people feel respected and supported, they follow procedures even when scared.

Director of Operations and Projects Maureen Milligan adds that G10 is ground up. "Just because you happen to work in a warehouse does not mean that your idea is not valid." That attitude encourages employees to suggest improvements to exit routes, evacuation maps, or communication tools. Small insights from the floor strengthen the entire plan.

WMS and technology support safer responses

CTO and COO Bryan Wright emphasizes the role of data. "A bad WMS system will not track inventory 100 percent, as it should. A good WMS tracks inventory through the warehouse at every point that you touch it." Accurate inventory and location data influence emergency response planning. Firefighters want to know what is stored where. Evacuation plans must consider blocked aisles, high hazard storage zones, and the movement of robots or forklifts.

Because Bryan's team built the WMS, hazard flags, pick zones, and storage areas integrate directly into planning. When the system knows that a zone contains flammable liquids or fully regulated batteries, emergency response maps can highlight those locations for first responders.

Peak season strains emergency plans

Director of Operations Holly Woods spends months preparing for peak season. "We have very intensive planning as we get close to a peak timeframe. We run forecast models, staffing models, and we audit inventory, equipment. All of these preparations happen ahead of season just to ensure that we can handle anything that comes our way."

Peak season changes everything in emergency planning. More people, more pallets, more equipment, and more returned goods increase the consequences of blocked exits, crowded aisles, or poor communication. Emergency plans must reflect worst case density, not ideal conditions.

Training ties the entire plan together

OSHA requires training whenever employees are assigned to the plan and whenever it changes. Employees must know evacuation routes, alarm types, reporting procedures, and shut down tasks.

Kay describes G10's approach to training. "We have been certified by the expert in the country on hazardous materials in all classifications." That foundation supports emergency response performance. Employees who understand hazmat risks are quicker to shut down equipment, isolate hazards, or alert supervisors during incidents.

What founders should ask about emergency planning

When evaluating a 3PL, emergency response planning should be part of your checklist. Ask to see the Emergency Action Plan and Fire Prevention Plan. Ask how often drills occur, how often routes are checked, and how emergency equipment like alarms, extinguishers, and exit lights are inspected. Ask how peak season or new product lines affect planning.

VP of Customer Experience Joel Malmquist frames it around growth. "With an up and coming business, I am going to ask you questions. What channels are you trying to get into. How do you see your business growing. How can we help you get there." Growth without emergency planning is a risk multiplier.

Emergency response as a competitive advantage

Warehouses that execute well in emergencies earn trust with regulators, employees, and customers. Clean audits, calm evacuations, and clear communication signal maturity. They also signal that the company cares about people, not just pallets.

Director of Vendor Operations Kay captures the mindset. "We follow regulations and guidelines to a T because we want to make sure that we are doing it legally, correctly, and safely." Applied to emergency planning, that mindset turns regulatory requirements into a shield for your people and your business.

If you want a 3PL that plans for the moments that matter, talk with G10 about how emergency response planning compliance can support safety, stability, and long term growth.