Emergencies happen when we least expect them.  As such, we must ensure emergency action planning stays up to date.  This includes regular inspection and proper procedure implementation for emergency exit routes.

 

United Parcel Service (UPS) recently received emergency exit route citations totaling $208,603 in proposed fines issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), according to a  Region 5 OSHA News Release.  Within the release dated January 3, 2019, OSHA Area Office Director Ken Montgomery states, “Failing to maintain required access routes is a serious hazard that can [put] workers’ safety at risk, especially in an emergency evacuation situation.”

 

The condition of emergency exit routes definitely impacts safety in the workplace.  Read on to gain insight into the emergency exit route items to help you ensure worker protection and regulatory compliance as part of overall emergency preparedness.

 

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Emergency Exit Route Item 1: Include emergency exit routes in your Emergency Action Plan

 

Your level of emergency preparedness reflects the quality of your Emergency Action Plan.  Moreover, your action plan misses the mark if it omits or complicates emergency exit routes.

 

During the development of an Emergency Action Plan, organizations should make sure to clearly define all emergency exit routes.  Diagrams serve as an efficient means to simplify route information within the plan.

 

Furthermore, provide this information as part of an overall emergency evacuation strategy. The Emergency Action Plan needs to define emergency notifications (alarms or announcements), assembly areas, and check-in procedures in addition to emergency exit routes.

 

Emergency Exit Route Item 2: Ensure employees, contractors, and visitors receive appropriate training on the emergency exit routes outlined in the Emergency Action Plan

 

Companies must ensure emergency exit routes receive proper coverage during safety refresher, orientation/site-specific, and task training sessions.  Training should address the exit(s) and designated route(s) for workers to take in each work area as necessary.

 

In addition, train workers to keep emergency exit routes clear and unobstructed.  There won’t be time to unblock an exit route in an emergency.

 

Finally, don’t miss opportunities to cover emergency exit routes during safety toolbox talks and as safety moments at the beginning of meetings.  This continued reinforcement will help drive home the exit route information to workers, enhancing the chances for proper execution during an actual emergency.

 

 

Emergency Exit Route Item 3: Practice emergency exit route evacuations as part of your Emergency Action Plan

 

Practice makes perfect.  However, organizations should use drills not just as emergency preparedness practice for workers but also as a means to evaluate the effectiveness of emergency exit routes.

 

Organizations should ask the following during the evaluation process:

• Are there bottlenecks in any of your emergency exit routes?
• Is one emergency exit route being preferred over another?
• Are more employees located in the area nearest to one exit route versus another?
• Is only one route specified in an area when 2 or more are needed or feasible?

 

Once you have identified any improvement items, implement proper corrective action based on the evaluation results.  By scheduling practices/drills at least once per year, your facility will have regular opportunities to evaluate the performance of emergency exit routes under simulated conditions.

 

Emergency Exit Route Item 4: Integrate emergency exit route checks into scheduled safety reviews.

 

Integrating checks of emergency exit routes during scheduled compliance reviews allows companies to make certain the routes remain ready for use when a crisis strikes.  As such, you should consider including reviews of emergency exit routes in facility safety audits, inspections, and walkthroughs.

 

During the reviews, verify that all emergency exit routes have been identified in the Emergency Action Plan. Exits and routes also should have proper signage.  Additionally, auditors and inspectors should make certain proper training has occurred.  Audits/inspections should include confirmation that routes and exits are free of materials, equipment, trash/debris, standing water, etc.

 

Furthermore, employers should encourage workers to consider emergency exit routes in Personal Risk Assessments (PRAs), Job Safety Analyses (JSAs), and workplace examinations before starting tasks.  This will allow for emergency exit routes reviews on a more frequent basis to ensure compliance.   Take a look at Robust Personal Risk Assessment in 4 Powerful Acts for more information on how to conduct PRAs.

 

As with emergency exit route evaluations during emergency preparedness practice/drills, organizations must correct as soon as feasible any deficiencies found during scheduled safety reviews.  Encourage workers to report unsatisfactory conditions as they notice them.  Moreover, empower workers to correct conditions they can on the spot.

 

 

Final Thoughts

 

We often forget about emergency exit routes until needed.  However, clearly including emergency exits routes in your Emergency Action Plan will help to ensure their coverage in your EHS program.  Moreover, regular evaluation and training will address this part of general emergency preparedness as intended to preserve workers’ safety.

 

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