Emergency Evacuation Plan Checklist Template

In this article

• Purpose and Importance
• What Counts as Workplace Emergencies?
• What to Consider When Creating Your Emergency Evacuation Plan
• What to Include in an Emergency Evacuation Plan Template Checklist
• How and Where to Use It
• Updating and Maintaining Your Emergency Evacuation Plan
• FAQs about Emergency Evacuation Plan Templates
• Ensure Safe and Streamlined Evacuations with a Digital Solution 
• Related Emergency Evacuation Plan Templates

Purpose and Importance

Emergency evacuation plans are crucial to ensuring the safety of employees, visitors, and customers during an emergency, as a well-designed evacuation plan can help minimize the risk of injury or loss of life, reduce damage to property, and enable organizations to quickly recover from disasters. 

Most emergency evacuation plans come in a map format, showing escape routes,  but they are to be used alongside a dedicated emergency evacuation plan checklist. This checklist will detail the necessary precautions to take and consider, as well as the proper safety procedures to always be aware of. 

An emergency evacuation plan template in particular can streamline the process of preparing for emergencies, thus allowing you and your employees to work faster and be more prepared. It also helps ensure that all the necessary procedures are followed and that they are standardized. 

What Counts as Workplace Emergencies?

According to the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a workplace emergency is any unforeseen situation that threatens the safety of employees, customers, and their environment, as well as disrupt or forcibly shuts down operations. Some workplace emergencies that require immediate evacuation and a corresponding emergency evacuation plan include:

• Floods and hurricanes
• Tornadoes
• Fires and explosions
• Chemical spills, radiological accidents, and toxic gas leaks
• Civil disturbances and moments of unrest 
• Workplace violence resulting in bodily harm, trauma, and destruction of property that can put others at risk

What to Consider When Creating Your Emergency Evacuation Plan

Although each emergency evacuation plan template is different, the process for creating them is similar across different industries. 

Some things you need to consider when creating your emergency evacuation plan are:

• Regulatory requirements: Make sure that the template you choose meets all necessary legal requirements for your industry and location.
• Your organization’s needs: Consider the size and complexity of your organization and choose a template that is appropriate for your needs.
• Customizability: Look for a template or digital solution that allows you to customize your emergency evacuation plan templates as needed.
• Chain of command: Create and implement a clear chain of command to follow in case of emergencies, and ensure everyone is aware of their respective roles and responsibilities 

What to Include in an Emergency Evacuation Plan Template Checklist

The basis of an emergency evacuation plan template is a checklist. Without an emergency evacuation plan checklist, creating, following, and implementing your emergency plan and maps can prove to be challenging. A checklist can also help ensure no step is missed both in the planning and execution. 

Additionally, a digital checklist specifically can also be accessed anytime and anywhere, making it easy for you and your employees to always be aware and conscious of the proper safety emergency procedures. Using a checklist also makes it easier to properly brief and train employees on the proper emergency evacuation procedures. 

A general emergency evacuation plan template checklist will have fields for the following to help you create and manage your evacuation plan:

• List of evacuation officers and assistants
• Name and contact information of nearby emergency services
• Operational status of your emergency alert systems
• Contingency plans for broken or malfunctioning alert systems and devices
• Methods of communication
• Specific evacuation, entry, and exit instructions depending on your area
• Designated safe area or assembly point
• List of procedures to follow once you and your team have assembled in your safe area

At the end of the emergency evacuation plan checklist template, it is important to list down other adjustments to be made based on the answers to the previous fields. This includes double-checking if certain procedures need to be revised or added and if additional training needs to be provided.

For a workplace emergency evacuation plan templat, there can also be additional fields for the right personnel to contact and coordinate with during evacuations and drills. 

Here is a emergency evacuation plan sample report for reference:

How and Where to Use It

An emergency evacuation plan template and its corresponding checklist is used in the following situations:

• Before, during, and after emergency evacuation plan training and drills simulating emergencies 
• During the planning stages of a construction project 
• Evacuating victims of natural disasters
• Avoiding harmful substances, equipment, and environments

Updating and Maintaining Your Emergency Evacuation Plan

In situations where the building’s layout has changed, new equipment has been installed, or new hazards have been identified, it is important to keep your plan updated accordingly An outdated emergency evacuation plan template can be dangerous, as it may prove to be ineffective in an actual emergency, thus putting your staff at risk. A good rule of thumb is to review and update your evacuation plan at least once a year. However, you may need to update it more frequently if significant changes have occurred.

Some changes that need to be considered when updating your plan include the building layout, new equipment, new hazards, or changes to the emergency response team. Once you have identified the changes that need to be made, you should update the plan accordingly.

In addition to updating your emergency evacuation plan template, it is also essential to review and test it regularly. Regular testing, training, and review help ensure that the plan is effective and that everyone knows what to do in an emergency. Ideally, you must conduct a drill twice a year with an interval of every six month, and training sessions around the same frequency. However, you may need to conduct drills more frequently if significant changes have occurred.

The best way to create, manage, and update your emergency evacuation plan template is by going digital. By digitizing your processes, you can better edit and update your plans, as all details will be stored in the cloud and easy to track. All edits will still be in cloud should you choose so, giving you the option and flexibility to refer to them in case of changes.