How Do I Create an Office Fire Escape Plan?

10/10/2022 (Permalink)

Practice with everyone involved your fire escape plan.

How To Create a Fire Escape Plan

A fire escape plan is a key component of any office's emergency preparedness plan. This should be a part of every company's overall emergency management program, which includes evacuation plans for the building and property in case of natural disasters or other emergencies. A fire escape plan can help you evacuate your employees quickly when there is no time to waste.

Identify and Mark All Exits

Identify all possible exits, including windows. Know where you are, who is with you, and how to get out in an emergency. If there is a fire alarm system in your building, make sure everyone knows what to do if it sounds (for example: "For the evacuation signal, direct all personnel within hearing range to immediately evacuate the building through designated exit routes"). You should also have a plan for getting out if the fire starts in an area where there are no designated exits (for example: "If smoke or heat conditions preclude exiting through normal exit routes—such as stairwells—provide another means").

Designate A Meeting Place

In the event of an emergency and you need to evacuate your building, it's important to plan ahead. You'll want a safe place for everyone who is working in the building to meet once they've been evacuated. This can be a nearby landmark or tree, street corner, intersection—or even another spot on the same block as your workplace if that's more convenient.

It's best if everyone knows where they are meeting before they leave their desks. Make sure everyone has access to this information so they can share it with others who may not have seen it yet (such as people walking up from downstairs).

Practice, Practice, Practice

At the end of the day, your office fire escape plan is useless if it's never put into action. You have to practice with everyone involved and make sure they know their role in the plan.

The Plan Should be Easily Accessible

Make sure your plan is clearly posted throughout the office so everyone can easily review it. The best way to do this is to hang up a copy in each common area where you will be working.

Make sure the plan is easy to understand, and that it doesn't have any confusing or unclear language in it. If someone looks at your fire escape plan and doesn't immediately understand what they're seeing, then it won't help them when an emergency happens.

Make sure the plan is accessible to everyone—not just those who are familiar with reading plans. You want every employee who works in your office building (and even visitors) to be able to easily find the fire escape routes on their own if something happens inside that needs immediate evacuation outside onto one of these routes.

Every Second Counts

Creating a fire escape plan is an essential part of every office, but it's not enough to just have a plan in place. You need to make sure your employees are familiar with the plan and can act swiftly if they ever need to get out in an emergency.

Fire escapes should be clearly marked, whether by signs or other means so that everyone knows where they lead and what lies beyond them. You'll also want to keep your fire escape plans posted on common areas for easy access and visibility for all staff members. The plan should be easy for everyone in the office—including non-English speakers—to understand, including any special instructions for those who may have mobility issues or disabilities that affect their ability to exit quickly (elderly or disabled individuals).

We hope that you’ll be prepared for the worst-case scenario if it ever happens to you! 

We also hope that this guide helps you develop a plan of action so that when disaster strikes at your workplace or home, everyone can get out safely. When fire does strike your business, give SERVPRO of Northwest and Northeast Cincinnati a call! We are happy to help you get your Cincinnati workplace back to normal.