Emergency Action Plans and Evacuation Procedure

Before implementing the emergency action plan, the employer should designate and train enough people to assist in the safe and orderly emergency evacuation of employees. Training should be offered to employees when you develop your initial plan and to all newly hired employees. Employees should be retrained when their actions or responsibilities under the plan change, or when the plan changes due to a change in the layout or design of the facility, new equipment, hazardous materials, or processes are introduced that affect evacuation routes or new types of hazards are introduced that require special actions.

Educate your employees about the types of emergencies that may occur and train them in the proper course of action. The size of your workplace and workforce, processes used, materials handled, and the availability of onsite or outside resources will determine your training requirements. Be sure all employees understand the function and elements of your emergency action plan, including types of potential emergencies, reporting procedures, alarm systems, evacuation plans, and shutdown procedures. Discuss any special hazards you may have onsite such as flammable materials, toxic chemicals, radioactive sources, or water-reactive substances. An employer should inform employees of the fire hazards present in the workplace. Clearly communicate to your employees who will be in charge during an emergency to minimize confusion.

And remember, if training is not reinforced it will be forgotten. Consider retraining employees annually.

You also may want to train your employees in first-aid procedures, including protection against blood-borne pathogens; respiratory protection, including the use of an escape-only respirator; and methods for preventing unauthorized access to the site.

Once you have reviewed your emergency action plan with your employees and everyone has had the proper training, it is a good idea to hold practice drills as often as necessary to keep employees prepared. Include outside resources such as fire and police departments when possible. After each drill, gather management and employees to evaluate the effectiveness of the drill. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of your plan and work to improve it.