Toolkit
Evacuation Planning
Establishing clear, easy-to-follow evacuation procedures is a basic requirement to ensuring your
employees’ safety. In the event of fire, an immediate evacuation to a predetermined area away
from the facility is necessary. In the event of a natural disaster, evacuation could involve the
entire community and take place over a period of days.
To develop a thorough evacuation policy, accomplish the following:
- Determine the conditions under which an evacuation would be necessary.
- Establish a clear chain of command and identify personnel with the authority to
order an evacuation. Designate “evacuation wardens” to assist others in an
evacuation and to account for personnel.
- Establish specific evacuation procedures and a system to account for personnel.
Consider employees’ transportation needs for community-wide evacuation.
- Post evacuation procedures in prominent locations so all employees can learn
them.
- Designate personnel to continue or shut down critical operations while an
evacuation is underway. They must be capable of recognizing when to abandon
the operation and evacuate.
- Coordinate plans with the local emergency management office.
Evacuation Routes and Exits
Designate primary and secondary evacuation routes and exits that are clearly marked and well
lit. Post signs and install emergency lighting in case a power outage occurs during an evacuation.
To facilitate a smooth, speedy evacuation, ensure your evacuation routes are:
- Wide enough to accommodate the number of evacuating personnel;
- Clear and unobstructed at all times;
- Unlikely to expose evacuating personnel to additional hazards; and
- Evaluated by an external expert.
Assembly and Accountability
Assembling and accounting for all employees in the wake of a disaster is crucial to quelling
confusion and ensuring safety. But obtaining an accurate account of personnel after a site
evacuation requires planning and practice. Follow these guidelines to improve the effectiveness
of your assembly and accountability procedures:
- Designate assembly areas where personnel should gather after evacuating.
- Take a head count after the evacuation. The names and last-known location of
personnel not accounted for should be compiled and given to the EOC. Confusion
in the assembly areas can lead to unnecessary and dangerous search and rescue
operations.
- Establish a method for accounting for nonemployees such as suppliers and
customers.
- Devise procedures for further evacuation in case the incident expands. This may
consist of sending employees home by normal means or providing them with
transportation to an off-site location.
Shelter
In some emergencies, the best means of protection is to take shelter either within the facility or
away from the facility in a public building. Determine the conditions that would force you and
your employees to take shelter, and accomplish the following to guarantee you have access to
suitable shelter:
- Identify shelter space in the facility and in the community. Establish procedures
for sending personnel to the shelter.
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