Is your company, institution or association prepared for an evacuation? And can you evacuate safely in case of emergency? In this blog we will tell you more about the situations that can arise and give you tips for a safer evacuation.
What to do in case of an evacuation
An evacuation must be safe and structured, otherwise chaos will ensue. In case of emergency or during an exercise, it must be clear how to get to a safe place to avoid the danger. Natural disasters fortunately hardly ever occur in the Netherlands, but emergency situations such as a fire, gas leak, smoke development, an accident with (construction) materials or hazardous substances, do of course occur all over the world. And during an exercise, you must also be able to leave the building safely, away from dangerous situations!
5 practical tips
1- Make an evacuation plan
As an employer, you are responsible for ensuring that people can leave your building safely in the event of an evacuation. Therefore, create an evacuation plan so that your employees and visitors know what to do in the event of an emergency or during an exercise. The evacuation plan must be clear, with feasible actions and procedures, so that people can find a safe place in a proper manner.
2 – Appoint a responsible person
Have your employees read the evacuation plan thoroughly and practice it, so that they are familiar with the various procedures for properly conducting an evacuation. Also let your staff know who is responsible during an evacuation and who the emergency response officer is.
3- Make sure you have a clear flight plan
Create clear signs so that it is clearly visible everywhere how people can leave your building. On every floor there must be a clear escape route in a visible place. The emergency exits must be indicated on this. The clearer the signs, the faster people can leave your building in the event of an emergency.
4- Ensure sufficient evacuation resources
5 – Practice regularly
Regularly practicing the evacuation plan and making the procedures clear makes it clear to everyone what to do in an evacuation. Be well prepared and practice an evacuation regularly. Make sure everyone knows how to leave your building and move to a safe place.
As an employer, you are responsible for the evacuation of your building. Make sure you are well prepared!
Evacuating vulnerable people
Are there people in your building who have difficulty getting to safety in an emergency? Particularly in large buildings with multiple floors, such as hotels, schools, shops, airports or large office buildings, disabled people cannot always get to safety. Approximately 10% of the people in your building can pose an unexpected risk due to their physical condition. Think of carapatiënten, pregnant women, disabled people or people with injuries. So make sure you have the right evacuation aids in your building!
Do you need to evacuate via stairs? Then an evacuation chair is the solution to provide easy and safe passenger transport via stairs. The evacuation chair is ready for use within seconds.
Or opt for an evacuation mattress that enables emergency services to quickly and safely evacuate people with physical disabilities, both horizontally and vertically.
Need more information or non-binding advice?
Would you like more information about solutions and resources for an evacuation? ESE International is happy to help you. As a total supplier in the field of evacuation, company emergency response and first aid, we are your partner for the delivery of evacuation resources.
Feel free to contact us for more information, free advice or customization for your company or business premises. View our products in the webshop.