You cannot rely on floor plans and building evacuation maps in case of emergencies, when it comes to people needing to leave the premises. They are useful and should be referenced in such situations, but they are generalised for every tenant. You need to come up with a workplace evacuation plan that accounts for the specific needs of your company and your work force.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 legally requires employers and organisations to have a plan in place that ensures their staff can safely leave a building during emergencies. This includes the disabled, vulnerable, and mobility impaired.
That is why you need a GEEP and a PEEP.
What are GEEP’s and PEEP’s?
A General Emergency Evacuation Plan (GEEP) shows a building’s layout, the location of emergency equipment and communication devices, and the evacuation procedures. Buildings used by the general public or a transient workforce require a GEEP. It is designed to help visitors with disabilities and those who need assistance in evacuation.
A GEEP must be accessible to all of the building’s visitors. There needs to be a system in place with regular evacuation drills to test the procedures and ensure that everyone understands the procedures.
A Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) is a customised set of emergency evacuation procedures for a specific person who may not be able to evacuate safely without assistance. It includes information on who will help with evacuation and training along with the building’s escape routes. The person who the PEEP is made for must be involved in its creation.
A PEEP also needs to be tested so that concerned staff members have the training and knowledge to carry it out in the event of a fire or any other emergency that requires evacuation.
When do you need a PEEP?
You need a PEEP if you have an employee or a regular visitor that can’t evacuate your building without assistance during an emergency.
There are two kinds of PEEPs — a temporary PEEP and a permanent PEEP.A temporary PEEP is for people who have a temporary medical condition such as a short-term injury or illness, as well as people in the later stages of pregnancy.
A permanent PEEP is for people who have any of the following:
- Mobility impairments
- Sight impairments
- Hearing impairments
- Cognitive impairments
The Three Evacuation Methods
GEEP’s and PEEP’s are generally centred around three types of evacuation methods.
Simultaneous Evacuation
The most common type of evacuation method, a simultaneous evacuation is when everyone inside the premises exits at the same time after an alarm has been sounded. People are still expected to leave in a calm and orderly fashion, however. This type of evacuation method is best for small buildings with simple layouts.
Vertical/Horizontal Phased Evacuation
A phased evacuation gives priority to people who face the most danger to leave the building. Depending on the type of building, it is called either a vertical or horizontal phased evacuation.
Tall buildings are better suited to having a vertical phased evacuation. For example, a fire on one floor would require the people on that floor to evacuate the building first, as they are at immediate risk. The people in the floors above where the fire is would go next, as they face the risk of getting trapped if the fire spreads upward.
Hospitals follow a horizontal phased evacuation, as they have people who can’t just leave the building for medical reasons. These people are just moved to fire-resistant areas where they can continue to get the treatment they need while the emergency situation is dealt with, unless it is absolutely critical that they evacuate the premises.
Silent Alarm Evacuation
For emergencies where sounding a general alarm is not advisable, such as a fire in a cinema or a terrorist attack, a silent alarm evacuation is necessary. Only staff are alerted to the emergency, so they can prepare accordingly and avoid crowds from panicking and making the situation worse.
Creating a Workplace Evacuation Plan
Here are six tips to help you develop your GEEP and PEEP.
1: Evaluate emergencies
The type of emergency you are most likely to encounter factors greatly into how you should create your evacuation plan. It depends on the area, but flooding is one of the more common natural disasters in the UK, so it’s something that you may have to account for. Consider if you need special equipment or any other resource to keep in stock.
2: Identify key routes and locations
Look at your building’s floor plans to determine where escape routes and emergency equipment like fire extinguishers are. Visually inspect these points to confirm if they are safe, accessible, and can accommodate the size of your staff. Mark safe areas as well where people can assemble before evacuating.
3: Create a step-by-step evacuation procedure
A step-by-step evacuation procedure built on the information you’ve gathered from evaluating emergencies and identifying key areas will make it much easier for your workers to follow and reduce the possibility of people panicking.
4: Brief workers
Talking with your entire staff about your workplace evacuation plan gives you a chance to improve your evacuation plans. They might provide valuable insight from a practical perspective you may have overlooked. Update your plans accordingly then hold another discussion for approval.
5: Assign roles
Having an evacuation coordinator helps your company stick to your GEEP or PEEP once an emergency does come up. They will be in charge of contacting outside emergency services. Wardens will shepherd workers through escape routes and to designated assembly points. Assistants make sure everyone is following the procedure and check if anyone needs help.
6: Conduct drills
Test your workplace evacuation plan with regular drills to give your staff some practical experience running the procedures. Take notes and consider feedback from the drills, and make any necessary adjustments. Update your organisation if you do make changes.
Workplace Evacuation Plan Checklist
Review your workplace evacuation plan and see if you have all the following items accounted for:
- Clear pathways — Are all hallways, doors, and stairs leading to the designated exits unobstructed?
- Clearly marked exits — Is there clear signage for the exits? Are they well lit?
- Safe assembly points — Does everyone know where to assemble before evacuating? Are these spaces safe?
- Equipment — Do you have fire-fighting equipment such as fire extinguishers? What about first aid supplies?
- Training — Have your staff been trained in the evacuation procedures?
- Roles — Have you assigned evacuation coordinators, wardens, and assistants?
If you’re still unsure about the state of your workplace evacuation plan after review, talk to the Health & Safety Dept. Our health and safety services include GEEP and PEEP development support. Contact us today to get started.
