Emergency! You have to leave the building.

Without an evacuation plan, it won't be successful.

Keeping employees safe is your priority as a business. There are many steps you should follow when crafting evacuation plans.

Not sure where to begin? Don't fear. Here's a short guide to evacuation plans to get you on the right path.

Plan It Out

You need to think of several different scenarios and then evacuation plans for each of them. If you don't have something in place, how can you expect your team to evacuate when needed?

OHSA does require all businesses to have an Emergency Action Plan (EAP). In almost every business situation, this needs to be in writing. Having it in writing also ensures that employees can refer to it should an emergency arise.

Types of emergencies vary. This is why it's all the more important to plan for each possible scenario in advance. When the time comes, and panic settles in, you want employees to feel prepared and secure.

Map out the Evacuation Plans

Evacuation routes need to be clearly identified in the plan itself. If there's a fire, look at what doors and windows are accessible to evacuate easily from.

Where are your general exits? Where are the first aid supplies located at? How does one get from point A to point B?

Marking the building layout will also help keep clear expectations during evacuation plans.

In addition, it's important to map out when you should evacuate and when you should shelter-in-place. Typically, shelter-in-place works for most extreme weather situations.

Who's Who

Designating emergency roles for employees will also help with staying organized during a real-time emergency.

Creating and following a chain of command will also make evacuation plans much smoother. Appoint one person to be in charge of every 20 people.

You can also appoint route guides to ensure your employees stay on route during evacuation procedures. In addition, appointing someone to be the communication contact between emergency services and your business is also a great idea.

Some might even be willing to serve in first aid roles. Here's why you should have a professional first aid kit on hand in your business. It's OSHA-required and in general a good idea.

Put the Plan into Practice

Having a plan itself won't cut it. You need to rehearse with your employees how to implement procedures during emergency evacuation plans.

Training for possible evacuations should happen regularly to keep the plans fresh in employees' minds. If there are other businesses near you, you can communicate and coordinate with them for a unified evacuation plan.

High-rise buildings will have a different set of procedures than other buildings. Make sure you practice with all employees. If you happen to have guests in your business, utilize a sign-in sheet so that they are accounted for as well during emergencies.

Plan Ahead for Emergency Evacuations

It doesn't hurt to be ahead of the ballgame and make specific evacuation plans. Your employees will thank you later too.

Check out our blog for information on workplace fire safety and more. Stay safe and plan ahead!