Safe Evacuation of Workers

Click here to view a video that explains workplace emergency evacuation and response.

Many employers designate individuals as evacuation wardens to help move employees from danger to safe areas during an emergency. 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.

Wardens may be responsible for checking offices, bathrooms and other spaces before being the last person to exit an area. They might also be tasked with ensuring that fire doors are closed when exiting. 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. 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.

Visitors also should be accounted for following an evacuation and may need additional assistance when exiting. Some employers have all visitors and contractors sign in when entering the workplace and use this list when accounting for all persons in the assembly area. The hosts and/or area wardens, if established, are often tasked with helping these individuals safely evacuate.

You also may find it beneficial to coordinate the action plan with other employers when several employers share the worksite.

Employees Who May Remain to Shut Down Operations Before Evacuating

Certain equipment and processes should be shut down in stages or over time. In other instances, it is not possible or practical for equipment or certain process to be shut down under certain emergency situations. This condition, which is not unusual for certain large manufacturers operating complex processes, is not typical of small enterprises that normally can turn off equipment or utilities if necessary and evacuate. However, some small enterprises may require designated employees to remain behind briefly to operate fire extinguishers or shut down gas and/or electrical systems and other special equipment that could be damaged if left operating or create additional hazards to emergency responders (such as releasing hazardous materials).

Each employer should review their operation and determine whether total and immediate evacuation is possible for various types of emergencies. The preferred approach, and the one most often taken by small enterprises, is the immediate evacuation of all their employees when the evacuation alarm is sounded.

If any employees will stay behind, the plan should describe in detail the procedures to be followed by these employees. All employees remaining behind should be capable of recognizing when to abandon the operation or task and evacuate themselves before their egress path is blocked. In small establishments, it is common to include in your plan locations where utilities (such as electrical and gas) can be shut down for all or part of the facility either by your own employees or by emergency response personnel.

Accounting for Employees after an Evacuation

To ensure the fastest, most accurate accountability of your employees, you may want to consider including these steps in your emergency action plan:

• Designate assembly areas where employees should gather after evacuating.
• 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.
• Establish a method for accounting for non-employees such as suppliers and customers.
• 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 off-site location.

Special Equipment for Employees

Your employees may need personal protective equipment to evacuate during an emergency. Personal protective equipment must be based on the potential hazards in the workplace. Assess your workplace to determine potential hazards and the appropriate controls and protective equipment for those hazards.

Personal protective equipment may include items such as the following:

• Safety glasses, goggles or face shields for eye protection.
• Hard hats and safety shoes for head and foot protection.
• Proper respirators.
• Chemical suits, gloves, hoods and boots for body protection from chemicals.
• Special body protection for abnormal environmental conditions, such as extreme temperatures
• Any other special equipment or warning devices necessary for hazards associated with your worksite.