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FireSafety and Evacuation

A disorganized evacuation can result in confusion, injury, and property damage.

For a safe evacuation, people should know more than one exit route to take in case one is blocked and be familiar with where to go once they exit the building. Every workplace should have enough exits located to enable everyone to get out of the facility quickly. Considerations include, number of persons, fire protection, type of industry and type of building. Emergency crews also need to know exactly where to go.

An exit route is a continuous and unobstructed path of exit travel from any point within a workplace to a place of safety. Post evacuation maps along the exit access indicating the direction of travel to the nearest exit or exit discharge.

The OSHA requires that if you have 10 or fewer employees, you may communicate your plan orally. If you have more than 10 employees, however, your plan must be written, kept in the workplace, and be available for employee review.

Hazardous Substances

The OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard requires employers who use hazardous chemicals to inventory and label them, supply MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets), provide proper PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and train employees on safe handling.

The facility must include a floor plan identifying those hazardous substance storage areas, dimensions of the area, locations of emergency equipment such as Eye Wash Stations and Spill Kits, all monitoring and alarms as well as access routes including entrances and exits.

For further information on Fire Safety requirements and Hazardous Materials visit these websites or call your local Fire Department for specific requirements for your facility type.

National Fire Protection Agency www.nfpa.org

Occupational Safety and Health Administration www.osha.gov

Click on the Safety Websites category link for other informative websites and on the Education tab for PDF handouts on a variety of Safety topics for the workplace and home.

Source: NFPA and OSHA