Emergency Evacuation Plan Scope and Applicability This procedure applies to a wide variety of emergencies both man-made and natural which may require a workplace to be evacuated. These emergencies include fires, explosions, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, toxic material releases, radiological and biological accidents, civil disturbances and workplace violence. The purpose of this procedure is to identify conditions under which an evacuation would be necessary, designate a clear chain of command, and determine appropriate evacuation procedures and means of accounting for employees following an evacuation. Implementation Implementation of this procedure is the responsibility of the management. It is the responsibility of the employer to ensure that all employees are trained and prepared for emergency evacuation. Our organization is committed to providing a safe and healthful work environment for our entire staff. Unprotected exposure to body fluids and OPIM presents the risk of infection from several bloodborne pathogens. Through proper employee training, recordkeeping, and engineering controls, we minimize the possibility of infection. Procedure 1.0 Evacuation Elements A. Conditions under which an evacuation would be necessary: 1. Designate procedures for each type of threat. a) The plan must identify when and how employees are to respond to different types of emergencies. 2. Determine structural weaknesses of premises and predicted effects of various emergency situations. B. Conditions under which it may be better to shelter-in-place: 1. A clear chain of command and designation of the person in your business authorized to order an evacuation or shutdown: a) It is critical that employees know who the coordinator is and understand that this person has the authority to make decisions during emergencies. b) The coordinator should be responsible for assessing the situation to determine whether emergency exists requires activation of the emergency procedures, overseeing emergency procedures, notifying and coordinating with outside emergency services, and directing shutdown of utilities or plant operations if necessary. c) When emergency officials, such as the local fire department, respond to and emergency at your workplace, they will assume responsibility for the safety of building occupants and have the authority to make decisions regarding evacuation and whatever other actions are necessary to protect life and property.
The highest-ranking responder will assume the incident command role and will work with the onsite emergency coordinator, but will be responsible for directing all response activities. C. Specific evacuation procedures, including routes and exits. 1. Exit routes should be: a) Clearly marked and well lit b) Wide enough to accommodate the number of evacuating personnel c) Unobstructed and clear of debris at all times, and d) Unlikely to expose evacuating personnel to additional hazards e) When preparing drawings that show evacuation routes and exits, post them prominently for all employees to see D. Specific evacuation procedures for high-rise buildings E. Employers 1. Don't lock fire exits or block doorways, halls, or stairways. 2. Test regularly all back-up systems and safety systems, such as emergency lighting and communication systems, and repair them as needed. 3. Develop a workplace evacuation plan, post it prominently on each floor, and review it periodically to ensure its effectiveness. 4. Identify and train floor wardens, including back-up personnel, who will be responsible for sounding alarms and helping to evacuate employees. 5. Conduct emergency evacuation drills periodically. 6. Establish designated meeting locations outside the building for workers to gather following an evacuation. a) The locations should be safe distance from the building and in an area where people can assemble safely without interfering with emergency response teams. 7. Identify personnel with special needs or disabilities who may need help evacuating and assign one or more people, including back-up personnel, to help them. 8. Ensure that during off-hour periods, systems are in place to notify, evacuate, and account for off-hour building occupants. 9. Post emergency numbers near telephones. F. Employees 1. Be familiar with the work site's emergency evacuation plan. 2. Know the pathway to at least two alternative exits from every room/area at the workplace. 3. Recognize the sound/signaling method of the fire/evacuation alarms. 4. Know who to contact in an emergency and how to contact them. 5. Know how many desks or cubicles are between your workstation and two of the nearest exits so you can escape in the dark if necessary. 6. Know where the fire/evacuation alarms are located and how to use them. 7. Report damaged or malfunction safety systems and back-up systems. G. Procedures for assisting visitors and employees to evacuate, particularly those with disabilities or who do not speak English: 1. Generally, one warden for every 20 employees should be adequate, and the appropriate number of wardens should be available at all times during working hours. 2. Wardens may be responsible for checking offices, bathrooms, and other spaces before being the last person to exit an area. 2
a) They might also be tasked with ensuring that fire doors are closed when exiting. 3. All employees designated to assist in emergency evacuation procedures should be trained in the complete workplace layout and various alternative escape routes if the primary evacuation route becomes blocked. 4. Employees designated to assist in emergencies should be made aware of employees with special needs (who may require extra assistance during an evacuation), how to use the buddy system, and any hazardous areas to avoid during an emergency evacuation. H. Designation of which, if any, employees will remain after the evacuation alarm to shut down critical operations or perform other duties before evacuating: 1. Each employer must review their operation and determine whether total and immediate evacuation is possible for various types of emergencies. 2. If any employees will stay behind, the plan must describe in detail the procedures to be followed by these employees. a) All employees remaining behind must be capable of recognizing when to abandon the operation or task and evacuate before their egress path is blocked. 3. A means of accounting for employees after an evacuation: a) Designate assembly areas where employees should gather after evacuating. b) Take a head count after the evacuation. Identify the names and last known locations of anyone not accounted for and pass them to the official in charge. c) Establish a method for accounting for non-employees such as suppliers and customers. d) Establish 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 offsite location. 4.Special equipment for employees. 2.0 Shelter in Place Procedures A. Close the business. 1. If there are customers, clients, or visitors in the building, provide for their safety by asking them to stay not leave. a) When authorities provide directions to shelter-in-place, they want everyone to take those steps immediately. b) Do not drive or walk outdoors. c) Unless there is an imminent threat, ask employees, customers, clients, and visitors to call their emergency contact to let them know where they are and that they are safe. d) Turn on call-forwarding or alternative telephone answering systems or services. If the business has voice mail or an automated attendant, change the recording to indicate that the business is closed, and that staff and visitors are remaining in the building until authorities advise that it is safe to leave. 2. Quickly lock exterior doors and close windows, air vents, and fireplace dampers. a) Have employees familiar with your building s mechanical systems turn off all fans, heating and air conditioning systems, and clothes dryers. b) Some systems automatically provide for exchange of inside air with outside air. c) These systems, in particular, need to be turned off, sealed, or disabled. B. If you are told there is danger of explosion, close the window shades, blinds, or curtains. 3
C. Gather essential disaster supplies, such as: 1. Nonperishable food 2. Bottled water 3. Battery-powered radios 4. First-aid supplies 5. Flashlights 6. Batteries 7. Duct tape 8. Plastic sheeting 9. Plastic garbage bags D. Select interior room(s) above the ground floor, with the fewest windows or vents. 1. The room(s) should have adequate space for everyone to be able to sit. 2. Avoid overcrowding by selecting several rooms if necessary. 3. Large storage closets, utility rooms, pantries, copy and conference rooms without exterior windows will work well. 4. Avoid selecting a room with mechanical equipment like ventilation blowers or pipes, because this equipment may not be able to be sealed from the outdoors. 5. It is ideal to have a hard-wired telephone in the room(s) you select. a) Call emergency contacts and have the phone available if you need to report a lifethreatening condition. b) Cellular telephone equipment may be overwhelmed or damaged during an emergency. 6. Take your emergency supplies and go into the room you have designated. a) Seal all windows, doors, and vents with plastic sheeting and duct tape or anything else you have on hand. b) Consider precutting plastic sheeting (heavier than food wrap) to seal windows, doors, and air vents. Each piece should be several inches larger than the space you want to cover so that it lies flat against the wall. Label each piece with the location of where it fits. 7. Write down the names of everyone in the room, and call your business s designated emergency contact to report who is in the room with you and their affiliation with your business (employee, visitor, client, customer). 8. Listen to the radio, watch television, or use the Internet for further instructions until you are told all is safe or to evacuate. a) Local officials may call for evacuation in specific areas at greatest risk in your community. 3.0 Reporting Emergencies A. Dialing "911" is a common method for reporting emergencies if external emergency personnel are used at your workplace. B. Internal numbers may be used for reporting emergencies. 1. If they are, they should be posted on, or near, each phone. C. Once an emergency that requires a response from employees is reported, a system - typically an alarm system - must be in place to notify employees. 4
1. Alarms must be distinctive and recognized by all employees as a signal to evacuate the work area or perform other actions identified in your emergency action plan. 2. The alarm must be capable of being perceived above ambient noise and light levels. a) Sequences of horn blows or different types of alarms (bells, horns, etc.) can be used to signal different responses or actions from employees. 3. Alarms should be able to be heard, seen, or otherwise perceived by everyone in the workplace including those who may be blind or deaf. a) If not, floor wardens or others should be tasked with ensuring all employees are notified. 4. OSHA's employee alarm systems standard 1910.165 applies to all employers that use an alarm system to satisfy any OSHA standard that requires employers to provide an early warning for emergency action, or reaction time for employees to safely escape the work place, the immediate work area, or both. 4.0 Documentation Summary A. File the following documents in the Health and Safety File: 1. Emergency evacuation diagrams 2. Emergency evacuation drill records 3. Changes affecting emergency evacuation routes 4. Procedures for each type of emergency evacuation addressing multiple threats B. The Risk Management Center is to be used to document all information including the following: Documents Written Safety Program Training Documentation including: - Classroom training and training course completed - Sign-in sheets - Quizzes - Skills evaluations - Operator Certificates Risk Management Center Location My Content TM Training Track TM application Pre-shift Inspection Checklists Safety Observations Near misses Accidents and claims Supplier and manufacturer Certificates of Insurance Safety Data Sheets My Content TM Job Hazard Analysis/ Safety Observation Tool TM Incident Track TM Incident Track TM COI Track TM SDS Track TM Disclaimer: The information in this document is intended for use as a guideline and does not constitute legal or professional advice. The information and suggestions have been developed from sources believed to be reliable. However, LMC accepts no legal responsibility for the correctness or completeness of this material. Source: Risk Management Center RM+1604-2.15 5