Why Every Building Needs Proper Safety Evacuation Protocols The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) requires an emergency action plan (EAP) for most US business. This is true for businesses that require fire extinguishers to be provided in the workplace and if any person will be evacuating the building in case of a fire or emergency. However, a business does not require an EAP if the business has an in-house fire brigade. Thus if every employee is trained to fight fires, an EAP is not required for that business. An EAP facilitates organized action within a business during workplace emergencies. During an emergency, a well-developed EAP and proper employee training may result in fewer or less severe injuries and structural damage to the business's facility. On the other hand, a poorly prepared EAP may lead to disorganized evacuations and emergency responses. This may lead to more injury, and property damage.
Developing a comprehensive EAP involves taking the knowledge learned through your business's workplace evaluation on emergency protocol and identifying how employees will respond to different emergencies. It may be beneficial to consult a diverse group of representatives such as management and employees in constructing an EAP to provide feedback about the plan. However, the support of all business members is essential to the EAP's success. Keep in mind, that if your business has 10 or fewer employees, you do not need a written EAP and your plan may be communicated orally instead.
The minimum requirements for an EAP include the following: •
Available Methods of Reporting Emergencies
Calling 911 is a common practice for reporting an emergency if your workplace uses external emergency personnel. Sometimes internal numbers are used within the business during an emergency. These numbers are often posted on or near each phone. Some businesses request employees to activate alarm systems or manual pull stations in the case of an emergency. Regardless of the method used, it is important that all emergencies be reported immediately. Once an emergency is reported, there should be a system in place to alert the employees of the emergency. Usually, this involves an alarm system with distinctive signals including loud horns and flashing lights. Businesses should consider making an emergency communications system available to their employees to provide emergency information. • Evacuation Procedures & Escape Route Assignments An evacuation policy that provides employees with appropriate procedures and escape routes is beneficial for them to understand who is authorized to make an evacuation order, under what conditions would an evacuation be essential, methods to evacuate, and the recommended routes to take. Many businesses utilize exit diagram to show recommended escape routes based on the employee's location. Evacuation procedures should also describe the actions employees should do before and during evacuation. This may include shutting windows, turning off equipment, and closing the doors behind them. Portable fire extinguishers may also be integrated into the EAP, as trained employees may be able to prevent a small fire from growing into a massive one.
• Procedures for Employees Who Operate Critical Operations to Follow Before Evacuation Shutting down certain equipment under certain emergencies is often required for certain large manufacturers that operate complex processes. On the other hand, small enterprises that can turn off equipment if necessary before evacuating typically do not have such a procedure. Some of these smaller businesses may request designated employees to remain behind briefly in order to attempt to extinguish fires or shut down utilities, such as gas or electrical systems that may create additional hazards for emergency personnel and responders. EAPs that require employees to remain behind, must describe the procedures they have to follow. Because all employees that remain behind must be able to recognize when to abandon their task and evacuate before any available escape routes become blocked, EAPs should include locations where employees or emergency personnel can turn off utilities and other relevant systems for part or all of the facility.
However, most small enterprises prefer the immediate evacuation of all employees during an emergency. • Procedures for Accounting for All Employees After an Emergency Evacuation Any EAP should consider the following to ensure accounting for your employees quickly and accurately. First, an EAP should designate assembly areas inside and outside the workplace. Outside locations are where employees should gather after evacuation. Outside areas for assembly are essential for when the building requires partial or complete evacuation. Typically, exterior assembly areas located in parking lots or other places with large open space away from busy streets. Inside locations act as places of refuge. You should ensure that all assembly areas have enough space for all employees. Second, it is important to take a head count after evacuation as well as identifying the names and last known locations of those not accounted for. After taking a head count, you want to let the official in charge know of who is present and who is not. When designing your EAP and designating assembly areas, consider the possibility of interference with rescue operations by evacuated employees. This can prevent people's confusion, which can lead to delays in rescuing anyone in the building or even unnecessary rescue operations. Third, EAPs should establish a procedure to account for non-employees, including suppliers and customers. This is important for businesses that often have nonemployees visit their offices or facilities. Lastly, EAPs should establish further evacuation procedures in case the incident expands. This may involve requesting employees to return home by their regular means or providing employees with transportation to an offsite location. • Rescue & Medical Duties for Employees Who Can Perform Them Most businesses choose to rely on local public resources for specialized services in case of an emergency. It is important to make sure local external departments such as fire departments, medical clinics, and hospitals are prepared to respond to emergencies as outlined by your business's EAP by having them conduct the following. First, have member of your local fire department walk through your workplace. This will help them become familiar with the layout and acknowledge potential hazards. Second, contact a local ambulance service and establish a relationship with them. This will allow readily available transportation in the case of emergencies. Third, arrange with local medical clinics and other relevant facilities to handle emergencies and provide medical services to employees. Lastly, in the case that your workplace is not nearby a clinic or hospital, make sure the appropriate onsite persons have adequate first-aid training. Some organizations that can provide such training include some insurance providers, local fire departments, local safety councils, and the American Red Cross. A general rule of thumb, serious injuries should be treated with three to four minutes of the accident. To order appropriate supplies for emergencies, consult a physician or other appropriate professional. •
List of Persons Who Can Be Contacted About the EAP
Having a list of names, departments, titles, and phone numbers of contacts for more information in regard to the business's EAP is important to make sure people know who to contact in case of an emergency. When developing an EAP, the simpler the better is best for small retail shops, offices, and small manufacturing settings where minimal hazardous materials or processes present. In such EAPs, employees would evacuate during an emergency. On the other hand, plans that are more complex may be required for workplaces containing hazardous materials or within workplaces, in which employees are trained to perform rescue and medical tasks, fight fires, or delay evacuation. These plans may need more extensive planning and consultation of appropriate emergency professionals.
The best EAPs involve: • employees in the planning process, • specifying what employees should do in the face of an emergency, and • ensuring the proper emergency training for employees. Including your employees in your EAP development can encourage suggestions a smaller less diverse group may not have considered. After developing the EAP, it is important to review it with your employees to ensure that they understand what to do when an emergency arises. It is also essential to provide a copy of the EAP or make it accessible to all employees, so they can consult it at any time. http://www.emergencylights.net/