And since emergency situations are never planned, you want to see how you’re people will react if they think it is “the real thing.” So unannounced drills can also be very useful. On the other hand, there’s nothing like surprising people to see how they will react. Similarly, if you want to drill one department or work area in specific emergency procedures, or if you want to see how a group of workers will respond to one of their evacuation routes being blocked, giving employees and group fire marshals a chance to discuss the simulation and develop team strategies might be a good idea. Employees will know this isn’t “the real thing,” and will therefore more likely be calm and focused on learning the new information. Whether fire drills are announced or unannounced really depends on the goal of a particular drill.įor example, if you are introducing employees to new evacuation procedures or routes, an announced drill is probably more appropriate, since this will give everyone a chance to practice in a more secure way. But unannounced drills more accurately measure evacuation readiness in most cases. Fire Drills: Announced or UnannouncedĮmployees probably prefer announced drills, and it might be easier for supervisors to plan for the event and minimize workflow disruption. In other workplaces every 6 months may be adequate. In a workplace with serious fire hazards (for example, flammable materials or difficult egress as in high rise buildings), fire drills should be conducted at least once every 3 months. How often you conduct fire drills depends in part on the requirements of your local fire code and in part on fire hazards in your workplace. Complying with requirements of the local fire code.Evaluating effectiveness of evacuation procedures and determining necessary changes or adjustments to procedures to improve performance.Determining if employees understand and can carry out emergency duties.Giving employees an opportunity to practice emergency procedures in a simulated but safe environment.It’s important to note that even though OSHA doesn’t require drills, local fire codes and your insurance carrier may require you to hold periodic fire drills to ensure safe evacuation of employees. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of your plan and work to improve it.” After each drill, gather management and employees to evaluate the effectiveness of the drill. Include outside resources such as fire and police departments when possible. ![]() “It is a good idea to hold practice drills as often as necessary to keep employees prepared. In its “Evacuation Plans and Procedures eTool,” OSHA says: ![]() Although OSHA does not require fire drills, it strongly recommends them. Fire drills help prepare employees to respond quickly, calmly, and safely.įire drills play a very important role in workplace fire safety. Preparation is the key to effective response to workplace fires.
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