Everything a company needs in its emergency action and evacuation plan
All companies and commercial policyholders need a set emergency action plan, and it needs to include these steps.
Employers have a legal and moral responsibility to ensure the safety of their workers. In the event of any type of emergency, whether it be extreme weather, an office fire, workplace violence, chemical spills or explosions, organizations need to have a plan.
People tend to panic in an emergency, potentially worsening the situation and causing more harm. The best way to avoid this is to have an emergency action plan in place that includes an emergency evacuation route and policy that is shared throughout an organization.
To help organizations protect their workforce, their facilities and their businesses, researchers at OSHA compiled a detailed guide on how to plan for workplace emergencies and evacuations.
What an emergency action plan needs to include
To get a general view of what an emergency action and evacuation plan should look like, at a minimum, OSHA recommends the plan should include:
- A preferred method for reporting fires and other emergencies;
- An official evacuation policy and procedure made accessible to all staff;
- Emergency escape procedures and route assignments, such as floor plans, workplace maps, and safe or refuge areas;
- Names, titles, departments, and telephone numbers of individuals both within and outside your company to contact for additional information or explanation of duties and responsibilities under the emergency plan;
- Procedures for employees who remain to perform or shut down critical plant operations, operate fire extinguishers, or perform other essential services that cannot be shut down for every emergency alarm before evacuating; and
- Rescue and medical duties for any workers designated to perform them.
It is critical that a plan also includes clear instruction on how to alert employees of an emergency, taking particular note of any accommodations or alternative plans needed for disabled workers or non-English speaking employees. Ensure alarms are recognizable and in reach of all staff, and that there is a system in place to notify authorities if an alarm is issued.
Accounting for staff after an emergency scenario
Confusion and fear in an emergency can cause even more physical harm by hindering communications and potentially delaying any rescues needed for workers trapped or injured unnecessarily. To avoid this, it is vital that a clear, accessible evacuation procedure is in place in order to account for staff quickly and accurately, get injured staff the medical attention they need and generally expedite the entire recovery process.
First, outline at least one evacuation route for employees to follow to safely exit the building. In the event of a fire or some other emergency scenario, this route may become obstructed and ineffective, so outline a secondary route to account for this, if possible. Evacuation routes should be clearly marked, easily seen, unobstructed at all times and wide enough for the number of staff to move through as they exit the building.
Secondly, designating a named assembly location for employees to retreat to in the event of an emergency is the simplest and most effective way to ensure all employees can be accounted for, and in the worst-case scenario, can be sent help if any staff are missing or in danger.
After meeting at the designated evacuation area, take a headcount. Identify the names and last known locations of anyone not accounted for and immediately relay this information to an official in charge. Consider any visitors to the workplace, as well. Establish a method for accounting for any non-employees such as suppliers and customers.
If the scale of the emergency situation worsens, ensure procedures are in place for further evacuation in case the immediate area becomes unsafe. This may consist of sending employees home by normal means or ensuring plans are in place to provide employees transportation to an offsite location if needed.
The key to a successful emergency action plan
The strongest, most detailed emergency action plan will be useless if staff aren’t appropriately informed of its key elements. The final and most critical step in developing and deploying an organization’s official emergency action and evacuation plan is educating the workforce about its procedures.
At a minimum, ensure all staff can identify and locate evacuation routes and assembly locations. For workplaces where any particular hazards exist, such as chemical or mechanical risk exposures, ensure all necessary staff is prepared and aware of their role in alerting authorities and keeping their colleagues safe.
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