No matter how many safety measures are put in place, incidents or emergencies can still happen. Emergency preparedness does not end with well-maintained fire equipment, First Aid and clearly labelled emergency exits. Every company must have a well-planned and organized Emergency Evacuation Floor Plan.
An Emergency Evacuation Floor Plan is a comprehensive procedure to be used when exiting a building in case of emergency. Emergencies can be smoke/fire, gas leak, bomb threat or chemical spill, amongst others. The emergency evacuation floor plan has to be organized in such a way that it facilitate a safe evacuation of people to an assembly area outside. The evacuation should avoid causing a stampede which may contribute to injuries and accelerate the state of emergency.
A lot of considerations should be made when putting together an Emergency Evacuation Floor Plan.
How your emergency evacuation floor plan should set up:
Designate a Primary and Secondary Exits
Your evacuation floor plan should have at least a primary and secondary exit. These two exits should be located further apart from each other. This should avoid both from being blocked by a hazard at the same time.
No emergency exit in rest rooms.
Do not use a restroom as an exit in your Emergency Evacuation Floor Plan even if there is a door or window. Rest room doors are too narrow to accommodate large volumes of people to exit faster.
Do not use windows as emergency exits
Windows are never designated as emergency exits, no matter how big they are.
Ensure your exits are located away from hazardous substances/ material.
Emergency exits should lead people away from any places where potentially hazardous substances and materials are stored. These can cause a sudden explosion which may cause injuries.
No emergency exits should be located in narrow passages.
A narrow passage is not advisable to be designated as an exit. People need to move in an open space passage which can evacuate a large number of people in one go, without hassles.
Designate an Assembly Area
An assembly location should be designated outside the building for employees to gather during an emergency. The location of this assembly area should be clearly indicated with a correct sign.
Prohibit use of elevators to reach an emergency exit
An Emergency Evacuation Floor Plan of a multiple-storey building should indicate the locations of stairways to be used for emergency exit. Elevators are discouraged for use in an emergency.
Indicate Exits with Wheelchair Access
Employers who have employees with disabilities should ensure that they consider their special needs in their Emergency Evacuation Floor Plan. Exits with wheelchair access should be designated on the floor plan.
Indicate the Employee’s Current Location
The floor plan should indicate the employee’s current location in the building. This allows people to know which exit is ideal for them in certain sections of the building.
A lot of aspects affect the implementation of an effective Emergency Evacuation Floor Plan. Building structures should be analyzed first so that a suitable emergency evacuation floor plan is implemented.
Have you implemented an emergency evacuation floor plan or you just unsure if yours will be effective in case of emergency? Contact Makrosafe today for assistance.
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