CA Plumbing PrepC-36 License Exam Prep
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Trade Exam · Module 6

Emergency Procedures and First Response

Lesson 8 of 8~20 minFree previewCurrent as of September 2026Leer en español

What has to be in place before something goes wrong on a California job, and what to do when it does: the construction emergency medical services plan, first aid kits and trained first aiders (Section 1512), emergency action plans (Section 3220), heat illness rules (Section 3395), the 8-hour serious injury report (Section 342), fire extinguisher basics, gas odors, electrical contact, and first response for burns, chemical splashes, heat illness and collapse, drawn from NIOSH and CDC guidance.

Key Takeaways

  • Every construction employer ensures appropriately trained first aid persons are available, provides at least one weatherproof first aid kit, tells workers the injury procedure, and has a written emergency medical services plan (Title 8 Section 1512).
  • Emergency phone numbers for a physician, hospitals, ambulance and fire services are posted near the job phone or otherwise made available (Section 1512(e)).
  • An emergency action plan covers evacuation, accounting for everyone afterward, rescue and medical duties, and how to report emergencies; employers with 10 or fewer employees may communicate it orally (Section 3220).
  • Serious injury, illness or death is reported to Cal/OSHA immediately, no later than 8 hours after the employer knows; serious means inpatient hospitalization other than for observation or tests, an amputation, loss of an eye, or serious permanent disfigurement (Sections 342, 330(h)).
  • Outdoor workers get free, cool drinking water, enough for one quart per worker per hour, and shade when it is over 80 degrees F; high-heat procedures start at 95 degrees F (Section 3395).
  • Use an extinguisher only on a small, incipient fire, with PASS: Pull, Aim low, Squeeze, Sweep; evacuate if it grows or the extinguisher empties (OSHA).
  • For a burn, get away from the heat, flush with cool water, cover it and get medical attention; do not use ice or burn cream (NIOSH).
  • For a chemical in the eyes or on the skin, flush with large amounts of water right away, remove contaminated clothing, and get medical attention (NIOSH, SDS Section 4).

Why This Matters

Emergencies are where a few seconds of the right action matter most, and where the C-36 exam likes to ask "what do you do first." This lesson covers the setup Cal/OSHA requires before anything happens, and the first response to the emergencies plumbers actually run into. It is not a substitute for a first aid and CPR course.

Before Anything Happens: The Construction EMS Plan

Title 8 Section 1512 applies to every construction employer:

  • Trained first aiders. Each employer ensures a suitable number of appropriately trained persons are available to render first aid. On a multi-employer project, employers may pool them if the pool covers the combined workforce (Section 1512(a) and (b)).
  • First aid kit. Every employer on a construction project, including short or transient jobs, provides at least one first aid kit in a weatherproof container, inspected regularly and restocked, with sterile individually sealed dressings (Section 1512(c)).
  • Tell workers the procedure. Each employer informs all employees of what to do in case of injury or illness (Section 1512(d)).
  • Getting help. There must be a way to transport the injured, or an effective communication system to reach hospitals, physicians, ambulance and fire services, and the numbers for a physician, hospitals, ambulance services and fire protection services are posted near the job phone or otherwise made available (Section 1512(e)).
  • Flushing facilities. Where eyes or body may be exposed to injurious or corrosive materials, facilities for drenching the body or flushing the eyes with clean water must be conspicuous and readily accessible (Section 1512(f)). In general industry settings, eyewash equipment must be reachable within 10 seconds, and hoses and sink faucets do not count (Section 5162).
  • Written plan. The employer has a written plan to provide emergency medical services (Section 1512(i)).

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