No one wishes to face a serious office emergency, but it can occur at any time. A checklist containing the emergency evacuation process is highly important to be prepared for such a serious situation. Unfortunately, emergency evacuations are not as simple as moving in and out of the building normally.
So, let’s check out the various requirements for emergency and evaluation procedures:
Making Emergency Evacuation To-Do-List
There are a few key points that you must know when you evacuate
the workplace during an emergency. First, it will reduce the panic during the
actual situation. Second, one of the best ways to ensure that the emergency evacuation is done appropriately is to prepare a good checklist securely. Third, the checklist helps you and your staff know what needs to be done during the emergency evacuation. During highly stressful conditions, we forget the significant points of the plan. With the help of the important evacuation list, all steps are carried out accurately.
Be Familiar With The Exit Route
You need to study the evacuation map to understand the best exit route to get out of the building. Avoid using the elevators in case of fires and other disasters like earthquakes.
Know All About Manual Fire Alarm
Each employee should know about the locations of fire alarm pull stations and how to activate them so that they can use them in need. So, to deal with emergencies, you should know about the nearest manual fire alarm pull station.
Know the Important Evacuating Instructions
The employer should explain the evacuation instructions well to the employees. The staff should understand that they need to leave the workspace on hearing the fire alert alarm or is directed by the emergency responders.
All the building occupants should instantly leave the place and move towards the assembly area. When evacuating the workplace, take a deep breath and do not panic. Pause your work and assemble all your belongings only if enough time is left.
Close your door or window but make sure they are not locked. Make sure to use the closest stairs and then head towards the nearest point of exit. Avoid using the elevator. Do not attempt to enter the same building or the work area again; until the evacuating professionals have instructed you.
Fire Alert
If you come across a fire and observe any smoke in the building, you first need to inform emergency personnel about the fire. Then, find the closest fire alert alarm and pull it. Also, the first thing will be to pull a fire alarm and then dial 911 to make sure the building occupants can leave the building fast.
Then the next step would be to step out of the building instantly while finding the nearest leaving point. If possible, try to gather important items like keys, purses, and wallets. But do not waste time in such a panic to save personal items. Life is more valuable than anything else, after all!
Next, close the doors but make sure they are not locked. If there is a huge smoke, go towards the secondary exit. Soon after stepping out of the building, move ahead to the specified evacuation place.
Adequate Provisions For Shelter-In-Place Or Evacuation
Depending upon the emergency and the situation, the earliest decisions one needs to make is whether to go for shelter-in-place or evacuate. If you are unclear about shelter-in-place, it is a safe location indoors until the all-clear instructions or the evacuation signal is not given.
The chemical incidents, active shooters, etc., require the
shelter-in-place rules. But if in case of a damaged building, you need to establish clearly defined, accessible, and unobstructed secondary evacuation
routes.
Also, ensure that all the staff members are aware of the evacuation routes and the assembly sites. It makes it easy to deal with such situations.
Employee Training For Such Emergencies
It is highly beneficial if more of your employees know about the type of emergencies that might occur. Therefore, the employer should offer training simultaneously with the hiring.
Also, the staff members should be aware of any new changes related to the building’s design or layout. Such actions will decrease the last-minute chances of panic and chaos during such situations.
Bottom Line
However, there are several requirements for emergency and evacuation procedures. Making a good Emergency Plan is not a simple task and requires a lot of details. So, taking help from a professional Emergency Management Consultant can be greatly fruitful for you. A company has loads of pressure, so it is better to focus on bringing up the business review. Rest should be left on the experts who will follow all the strategies to deal with emergency conditions.