How must employees be accounted for after an evacuation?

Accounting for all employees following an evacuation is critical. Confusion in the assembly areas can lead to delays in rescuing anyone trapped in the building, or unnecessary and dangerous search-and -rescue operations.

To ensure the fastest, most accurate accountability of employees, consider including these steps in the EAP:

• Designate assembly areas where employees should gather after evacuating;
• Develop procedures for taking a head count after the evacuation. Identify the names and last known location of anyone not accounted for and pass this information to the coordinator;
• Establish a method for accounting for non-employees such as suppliers and customers; and
• Establish procedures for further evacuation in case the incident expands, such as sending employees home or providing transportation to an offsite location.