Building occupants and employees must be guaranteed that building owners have taken necessary precautions to ensure fire detection and evacuation processes are in place and quick response is assured. Electronic detection devices, sensors and clearly mapped evacuation routes reduce the potential for death or injury from smoke, fire and hazardous gasses.
To this end, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of the United States has established clear guidelines to ensure the safety of employees in any emergency. These requirements, along with local and municipal codes, and a review by a fire alarm inspector, are intended to protect occupants from any fire-related dangers.
Emergency Action Plans (EAP)
Creating a comprehensive Emergency Action Plan with proper training and well-defined roles will minimize any risk to employees and occupants. Poorly developed plans that lead to disorganized activity during evacuation can result in disaster.
Evaluation
Prior to creating a detailed EAP, you should conduct a coordinated evaluation which examines the facility layout, existing detection devices, alert and fire suppression assets, as well as identifying structural features that may limit movement or create a bottleneck. It is important to include a fire alarm inspector and professional alarm specialist to test and repair equipment and to assist in this evaluation.
Drafting the EAP
Once the evaluation has been conducted, it’s time to draft the Emergency Action Plan. The Plan should outline specifically trained employee responsibilities that ensure the EAP will be executed properly.
Emergency Evacuation Plans should include:
Conditions that will require evacuation
“Shelter in Place” procedures, in case the emergency is outside the building
Chain of Command that designates who will order an immediate evacuation
Clearly identified primary and secondary evacuation routes
Specific procedures for high-rise buildings
Procedures for assisting the disabled or those unable to comprehend
Designation of individuals who are responsible for shutting down critical operations or other duties
Methods of accounting for missing building occupants
Supplying special equipment and respirators
Emergency Standards
OSHA requires that building owners and businesses provide proper design and maintenance of evacuation routes, plus operational fire detection, alarm and suppression systems to accompany the detailed Fire Prevention Plan.
Fire Detection Systems’ Checklist
The OSHA checklist is designed to identify conditions that may require special attention. These may include the handling of certain chemicals or hazardous waste, grain handling or other conditions.
A regularly scheduled review and testing by a professional fire alarm company will ensure success.
