How to Design a Fire Escape Plan for the Work Place

In a fire emergency, seconds count. Knowing what to do and where to go can save your life. According to the The U. S. Fire Administration, fire kills 4,000 Americans and injures another 20,000 each year. To help lower those numbers, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration requires U.S. work places to provide their employees with an actionable fire escape plan.

Instructions

• 1

  Draw the floor plan of the business or acquire a copy of the architectural floor plan. If you draw the plan, include each door and window.

• 2

  Designate on the floor plan at least two exit or escape routes for each work area. According to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, an exit route consists of three parts: exit access, exit, and exit discharge. You must designate continuous and unobstructed paths accessible from any area of the workplace as exit routes.

• 3

  Develop procedures for assisting physically impaired employees escape. For instance, you might institute a buddy system so physically impaired employees each have someone to assist them in evacuating the building.

• 4

  Develop procedures for critical personnel who can not immediately evacuate due to security or shut-down needs, such as in a bank or a manufacturing plant.

• 5

  Designate an alarm to alert employees of a fire. If your business does not already have one, install an alarm system to alert employees of a fire throughout the workplace complex.

• 6

  Train all employees in fire safety and evacuation, including recognizing the fire alarm. Review the fire plan with existing employees and with each new hire. Also, review any plan changes with all employees.