INFORM April 2026

PLANT SAFETY INFORM 23

starting point. A safety team can use the tool to create a simple EAP for an office or retail store, but an EAP for an oilseed processing facility will require more complex plans than OSHA’s tool can provide. For instance, oilseed processing facilities usually do not have a dedicated fire protection team, so they must rely on local fire departments. The EAP would provide fire department contact information and identify who is responsible for notifying them. Proper emergency planning would also mean giving local authorities key information on the facility ahead of time. “Part of your emergency action plan may involve having some kind of partnership with the local fire department,” said Williamson. “You need to let them know where all the main hazards are in the facility.” EAP should also include procedures that employees who are tasked with rescue or medical response should follow and what to do with key equipment before everyone evacuates. “When it comes to the extraction part of a plant, you cannot just walk away from it,” said Williamson. “You have to have some way to put it into a safe mode.” In addition, OSHA requires employers to have an alarm to notify employees of emergencies, with distinct signals for different incidents such as fires, spills, or weather hazards like tornadoes. Employers must also train

employees in EAP procedures and review the plan with employees when a plan is developed or changes, an employee starts a new job, or when a worker’s responsibilities under the EAP change. OSHA also recommends that organizations routinely practice evacuation drills. This helps reinforce the EAP in employees minds and can show any deficiencies in the plan or training before an emergency happens. OSHA recommends coordinating such drills with local authorities if possible and using the results of evacuation drills to refine EAP. AFTER THE UNTHINKABLE During an emergency the top priority is keeping personnel safe. Once everyone has been evacuated and accounted for, emergency services personnel can focus on putting out fires or containing leaks and spills. Companies will be eager to return to normal operations, but first they must figure out what caused the emergency. “Incident investigation is how you go back and find out what happened in a safe manner that preserves evidence,” said Williamson. However, before an investigation can begin, it must be safe to re-enter the building. For instance, a building might not be structurally sound after a dust explosion, making it too risky for investigators to collect evidence. In such a case the plant managers

should send in a drone with a camera to inspect the building. If everything looks sound, a structural engineering team can do a more thorough check before giving the green light for the investigation. After collecting evidence, investigators can begin their analysis to find out why the incident happened, and if it is safe to do so, the plant can resume operations. Much like a well-designed EAP keeps personnel safe, good incident investigation and recovery plans will help things return to normal quickly and give insights into why an emergency happened. With that information, plants can take steps to avoid future emergencies. FROM FARM TO MARKET The process of turning soybeans into refined soybean oil fit for food and industrial use involves a few different hazards. The actual process of refining oil extracted from soybeans is fairly safe, with most of the risks in this stage being related to food safety and product quality. However, the process of preparing soybeans and extracting their oil, known as upstream prep, is a different story. “Upstream prep can be very dangerous,” said Williamson. “And prep is often underappreciated, especially in older facilities.” After harvest, raw soybeans are first processed to remove their hulls. After that processors