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.
Example of an assembly area.
To ensure the fastest, most accurate accounting of employees, consider including these steps in the EAP:
- Assembly areas, whether situated inside or outside the workplace, serve as designated locations where employees gather following an evacuation.
- 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 head count 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.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
1-8. What two types of assembly areas are common in Emergency Action Plans (EAPs)?
You forgot to answer the question!