To ensure protection or safe escape of persons in an emergency, your business should have an emergency management program which:

Assesses likely emergency threats to the site, business, and staff.
Outlines controls to reduce the likelihood of those threats arising.
Outlines response procedure in the event the threat does occur.
Is periodically tested to ensure staff can implement the response procedures when required.

Here we explain the steps and items to consider in preparing an emergency plan.

Who needs an emergency plan?

Under the Work Health and Safety laws, all workplaces must have an emergency plan in place to inform workers and visitors of what to do in an emergency. Your plan should be easy to access and reviewed, updated and tested regularly.

Dangerous Goods Sites

Licenced dangerous goods (DG) sites must have an emergency plan, meeting requirements of the DG Regulations/WHS Regulations. Businesses must request advice on the emergency plan from the Fire Authority. The Fire Authorities have specific items to be included in Emergency Plans for DG sites.

How to implement real Emergency Plans

Traditionally, emergency planning focussed on fire, natural disasters or accidental events, but today we also need to consider external events (such as external chemical spill or fire) and deliberate actions intended to cause harm (including protests, violent customer or terrorist).

Some pointers which might help plan and invigorate your emergency response include;

1. Identify emergency scenarios

To identify relevant emergency scenarios that need to be included in the emergency plan, conduct an emergency risk assessment or your premises and activities of neighbouring businesses. Consider an independent review of emergency and security risks.

Consider recent changes to your business activities

New equipment or activities may introduce new risks, potential emergency situations or changes to how you respond. Consider new items including:

- Electrical vehicle charging stations;

- Dangerous Goods

- Changes to work arrangements.

Eliminate Opportunities for fires, deliberate or malicious events

Conduct regular site inspections of housekeeping.
Confirm exit paths are clear and fire fighting equipment is accessible.
Reduce waste accumulation.

You can’t change malicious motives, but you can minimise the opportunity for those intending to do harm to your personnel or facility.

Increase personal awareness.
Report any suspicious or unusual circumstances.

2. Prepare the Emergency Plan

Include clear emergency response procedures for the emergencies that you have identified.

3. Emergency response team

Elect and train your emergency response team in each response procedure. I find it is common for the wardens to be trained in fire evacuation and emergency communication, but not all businesses train the emergency team in each response procedure.

Provide proper resources e.g. two-way radios and megaphones for communication and crowd control, torches for night operation, hats and vests for easy identification of your wardens.

4. Evacuation Drills

Ensure all personnel understand the details and importance of the evacuation plan. Include this in all staff inductions and conduct annual refresher training.

Encourage everyone to:

Familiarise themselves with the floor plan and location of exits.
Treat every “alarm” as real (not just as a practice drill).

Remember to practice all of your emergency procedures (external emergencies, chemical spills etc) not just fire evacuations.

5. Emergency Alarm

Familiarise personnel with the evacuation alarm sounds e.g. montly announced checks.

The main guidance on this topic is Australian Standard AS 3745; 2010 Planning for Emergencies in Facilites. Some states have specific obligations.

Ensuring everyone can safely evacuate from a workplace in an emergency is one of the fundamental elements of due diligence.

Call Safety Action on 03 8544 4300 or email if you need help with:

Emergency risk assessment to comply with AS3745 Planning for emergencies in facilities.
Preparing or reviewing your emergency plans.
Preparing emergency plan to meet Dangerous Goods obligations.
Preparing emergency isolation procedures.

In next month’s newsletter Stephen discusses the difference between Emergency Management and Crisis Management.