How to Evacuate a Building Safely

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, under the United States Department of Labor, offers ideas to avoid chaos and injury in the event of a building evacuation. OSHA advises establishing the emergency action plan immediately and making sure that all individuals understand each step.

Instructions

• 1

  Determine reasons for evacuating. Natural and man-made emergencies can warrant evacuation of a building. These include fires, floods, explosions, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, toxic material exposure and workplace violence, among others. The emergency plan should have specific steps for responding to different types of situations.

• 2

  Note which types of emergencies would call for staying in the building instead of evacuating, such as a tornado. The emergency plan should give suggestions for determining what to do in each disaster, although OSHA also recommends training individuals for worst-case scenarios and developing problem-solving ideas for different threats.

• 3

  Predetermine who will order an evacuation or shutdown of the facility. A specific naming of the next several people to fulfill this position needs to be clear if the situation arises.

  OSHA also recommends determining whether any people will stay after the others are evacuated to shut down any critical operations or equipment before they evacuate.

• 4

  Set up specific routes and exits for the building for the optimal way for employers, employees and visitors to evacuate. Note that high-rise buildings will need special procedures.

  Plan for visitors with disabilities or those who do not speak or read English. Signs should be posted (in English, Spanish and other languages common to the area) with evacuation routes in several hallways on every floor.

  The exit routes should be clearly marked and well-lighted, and have a clear path without obstructions that are wide enough for many people to pass through.

• 5

  Designate a specific place for individuals to gather after the evacuation. Develop a plan for counting visitors by asking all who were in the vicinity to point out those individuals. Counting those who have left the building is critical, and identifying who is missing can aid in rescuing any people still in the building.

• 6

  Have the proper equipment needed for emergencies, such as extinguishers, first aid kits, special respirators and emergency telephones, easily accessible.