600 Introduction to Occupational Safety and Health

Accounting for Employees

Procedures to account for employees after the evacuation to ensure that everyone got out may include designating employees to sweep areas, checking offices and restrooms before being the last to leave a workplace or conducting a roll call in the assembly area.

Evacuation wardens can be helpful in accounting for employees. To ensure the fastest, most accurate accounting of employees, consider including these steps in the EAP:

• Designate assembly area or areas Assembly areas, both inside and outside the workplace, are the locations where employees gather after evacuating.
• Internal assembly areas within the building are often referred to as "areas of refuge." Make sure the assembly area has sufficient space to accommodate all employees.
• Exterior assembly areas, used when the building must be partially or completely evacuated, are typically located in parking lots or other open areas away from busy streets. Try and designate assembly areas so that employees will be up-wind of the building.
• Take a headcount after the evacuation. Accounting for all employees following an evacuation is critical. Identify the names and last known locations of anyone not accounted for and pass them to the official in charge.
• Assembly area design. When designating an assembly area, consider (and try to minimize) the possibility of employees interfering with rescue operations.
• Account for others. Establish a method for accounting for non-employees such as suppliers and customers.
• Additional evacuation. Establish procedures for further evacuation in case the incident expands. This may consist of sending employees home by normal means or providing them with transportation to an offsite location.

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