Evacuation plans are an important part of any Emergency Action Plan. In the event of a serious emergency, your staff needs to have a clear and defined path out of the facility, with adequate predetermined routes to exits, and exits which are capable of withstanding a number of potential emergencies. In addition, your staff needs to know the evacuation routes, and the routes need to be posted throughout your facility, so that employees can simply look at a sign to find the fastest way out from anywhere in your place of business.

Not only are these requirements for a safe workplace, they are also requirements determined by OSHA. OSHA set Standard 1910.36 and Standard 1910.37 as a way to gauge whether your business is safe in the event evacuation is required. Unfortunately, there is a lot of gray area in the standards given how many different layouts a building can have. It is for this reason we generally recommend any evacuation plan be reviewed by a professional firm who specializes in safety and OSHA regulations.

But even after you have created an approved evacuation plan, it is important to be sure you print acceptable evacuation plan placards and have them installed throughout your facility. This crucial step is often overlooked by employers, and can be dangerous in an emergency situation.

If you have any questions about evacuation plans, including how to create one, how to account for changes in your work space, and how to print and install them, please contact us. And if you have anything to add about the requirements for evacuation plans, please leave a comment.