Emergency Evacuation Plan

What Is a Emergency Evacuation Plan?

An Emergency Evacuation Plan is a written document that outlines the steps you and your workers must take during an emergency. It tells everyone what to do, where to go, and who is in charge when things go wrong.

In Australia, an emergency is not just a fire. It includes medical emergencies, chemical spills, bomb threats, or natural events like storms. The plan serves as the primary guide for keeping people safe. It is not just an administrative exercise. It is a legal requirement for every Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU). This includes sole traders, small business owners, and large companies.

The plan combines clear instructions with visual aids, like diagrams. It ensures that everyone on-site knows how to evacuate the building or handle a situation until emergency services arrive. It ensures that you have thought about the risks specific to your workplace before an incident happens.

When to Use This Document

You need to use this document before an emergency ever happens. It is a preventative tool. However, you must use it practically during inductions for new staff and contractors. You also need to refer to it whenever there is a change in your work environment.

You must use this document if you are:

• Starting a new business. You cannot operate without a plan that addresses the specific risks of your new site.
• Moving premises. A cafe evacuation plan for a shopfront will not work for an industrial warehouse. You need a new document for the new layout.
• Changing work practices. If you start using dangerous chemicals or working with heights, your plan must update to reflect those new hazards.
• Hosting visitors. Retailers and tradespeople must use the plan to inform customers or clients of the exits upon arrival.

The document is also a "living" record. You use it during evacuation drills. You review it after a near-miss or an actual incident to see what worked and what failed. If a SafeWork inspector visits your site, they will ask to see this document to check if you are meeting your duties.

Key Sections and Required Elements

Under Australian law, specifically the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011, your plan must include specific information. A vague idea of safety is not enough. You need a document that is easy to read and easy to find.

Emergency Contact List

This section must be at the front of the document. It provides the numbers to call when seconds matter. It should include Triple Zero (000), the local Poison Information Centre (13 11 26), and the numbers for your state WorkSafe authority. You must also list internal contacts like the Chief Warden and First Aid Officers. For tradies working on client sites, the Site Manager’s number is essential here.

Evacuation Procedures and Floor Plan

You need a clear map of your workplace. This map should show the "You Are Here" point, primary and secondary exits, and the location of fire safety equipment like extinguishers and blankets. It must clearly mark the Emergency Assembly Point. The written procedures need to explain how to raise the alarm. This could be breaking a glass panel, pressing a button, or verbally yelling "Fire, Fire, Fire". The Australian Standard AS 3745-2010 suggests these diagrams must be displayed prominently, usually near exits.

Roles and Responsibilities

Confusion kills during emergencies. You must assign roles to specific workers. The standard roles include the Chief Warden (who takes charge), Floor Wardens (who sweep areas to ensure people leave), and First Aid Officers. Crucially, the plan must state that only trained people should attempt to fight a fire. Everyone else’s job is to evacuate immediately.

Medical Incident and Bomb Threat Procedures

Emergencies are not always fires. You need a section on medical incidents. It should explain how to call an ambulance and direct them to the patient. For businesses that receive mail or public foot traffic, a bomb threat procedure is required. This usually involves a checklist for the person receiving the threat and instructions to evacuate a 100-metre radius if a suspicious item is found.

How to Write a Emergency Evacuation Plan (Step by Step)

Creating a compliant plan does not have to be difficult. You can build one using a template like our Emergency Plan Template, but you must customise it. Follow these steps to ensure it covers your legal obligations.

Step 1: Consult Your Workers

The law requires you to consult with your workers. You cannot write this plan alone in your office. Talk to your staff, or your Health and Safety Representative (HSR) if you have one. Ask them about the hazards they see. They might know about a blocked exit or a faulty alarm that you are unaware of. Involving them also means they are more likely to follow the plan during a real emergency.

Step 2: Assess Your Risks

Look at your physical workplace. What are the specific dangers? A woodworking business has a high risk of dust fires. A chemistry lab has a risk of toxic spills. An office has a lower risk but still needs plans for medical episodes or power outages. Your plan must address these specific risks. A generic "cut and paste" plan from the internet is a major liability because it will not cover your specific situation.

Step 3: Draft the Procedures

Write down the steps for each emergency type. Keep it simple. Use short sentences and bullet points. Avoid complicated jargon. Imagine someone is reading this for the first time while smoke is filling the room. They need to understand instantly. Include the "Tiered Response" approach recommended by AS 3745. First is the immediate action (like using an extinguisher), second is evacuation, and third is handing over to emergency services.

Step 4: Create the Diagram

Draw a floor plan of your workplace. Mark the north direction. Highlight the fire safety equipment in red. Draw clear green arrows to show the path of travel to the assembly area. Ensure you account for visitors and disabled workers. If you work in a multi-tenant building, you may need to coordinate with the building manager to ensure your plan aligns with theirs.

Step 5: Implement and Display

Print the plan and the diagram. Laminate them. Place the diagram near exits and the plan in a communal area like the lunchroom or near the time clock. If you use cloud-based software for your business, upload a digital copy there too. Ensure everyone knows where it is. Include the plan in your Induction Checklist for new hires.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Many Australian businesses try to do the right thing but fall short due to simple errors. Avoiding these mistakes can save you from fines and, more importantly, save lives.

Using Generic Templates

A common mistake is downloading a plan meant for an office and using it for a factory. This is a breach of the Model Code of Practice. The plan must reflect the physical layout of your site and the specific hazards you face. If a SafeWork inspector audits you and finds your plan says "evacuate to the north" but your northern exit is blocked by machinery, you will be fined.

Ignoring Visitors and Contractors

Small businesses often forget about people who are not employees. If you run a retail store, your plan must include a method for accounting for customers. If you are a tradie on a construction site, you need to know where the other contractors go. You must have a system to ensure that everyone on-site, including delivery drivers, is evacuated.

Failing to Test the Plan

Writing the plan is only the first step. Regulation 43 states you must maintain the plan to ensure it remains effective. This means you must test it. You need to run evacuation drills at least once a year, or more often if your risks change. A plan that sits in a drawer gathering dust is useless. During a drill, you might find that the assembly area is too small or that the alarm is not loud enough in the workshop. These are things you only learn by testing.

Not Reviewing After Incidents

If you have a near-miss or a small fire, you must review the plan. Did it work? Did everyone know what to do? Update the document based on what you learned. This is a requirement under the Code of Practice. It also helps you improve your safety culture over time.

Legal Considerations (AU)

As a business owner in Australia, you have strict legal duties regarding emergency planning. Ignorance of the law is not a valid defence in court.

Primary Legislation

The main law is the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth). Under Section 43 of the WHS Regulations, a PCBU must ensure an emergency plan is prepared for the workplace. This applies to all workplaces. It does not matter if you are a sole trader working from home or a large corporation. You must have a plan.

The Regulations

The WHS Regulations mandate exactly what must be in the plan. It must cover emergency procedures, evacuation procedures, notification of emergency services, medical treatment, and effective communication. You can be fined for missing any of these elements. The plan must be maintained, which implies regular testing and review.

State Variations

Most states have adopted the national model WHS laws. However, there are differences.

• Victoria uses the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic). Section 146 of the OHS Regulations 2017 requires employers to establish emergency procedures that ensure access to emergency communication systems.
• Western Australia has recently adopted the Work Health and Safety Act 2020 (WA), which aligns with the Commonwealth laws. You should check the specific transition periods if you are unsure about current obligations in WA.

Australian Standards

While AS 3745-2010 is not a law, it is a benchmark. In legal proceedings, courts often look to this standard to determine what was "reasonably practicable" for the business. If you ignore AS 3745, it is very hard to prove you were meeting your duty of care. Following this standard is the best way to protect yourself from liability.

Privacy Laws

Your plan will likely contain personal information, such as the names of emergency contacts for your staff or medical details. You must handle this information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). Keep the document secure. Do not leave it lying open where the public can see private medical details of your employees.

Disclaimer Requirements

If you use a template, you must keep a disclaimer. The document is a draft only. You must customise it to your specific site. It must also comply with local council fire orders. A template cannot do that for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I really need a written plan if I only have one employee?

Yes. The WHS Regulations apply to all workplaces. If you employ anyone, even casually or part-time, you must have a plan. Even if you are a sole trader, it is best practice to have a plan for yourself and any clients who visit your site.

How often do I need to do evacuation drills?

Best practice, and the recommendation in AS 3745, is at least once every 12 months. However, for high-risk industries like construction or mining, or if you have a high turnover of staff, you should do them more often. You must also do a drill whenever there is a significant change to the layout or the plan.

Who is responsible for the plan in a shared office building?

If you rent an office in a building managed by a strata or building manager, you still have duties as a PCBU. The building manager will usually have a master plan for the base building. You must have a plan for your tenancy that fits within that master plan. You need to know who your Floor Warden is and how they communicate with the building’s Chief Warden.

Can I keep the plan on my phone?

You can, and should, have a digital copy for easy access. However, you must also have physical copies posted on the walls. During a power outage or a fire, digital systems might fail. A laminated map on the wall is reliable and accessible to everyone.

What happens if I don't have a plan?

If an inspector visits and you do not have a plan, you can receive an Improvement Notice requiring you to make one within a set time. If an incident occurs and you do not have a plan, you face substantial fines. In the worst cases, if someone is hurt because you failed to plan, you could face imprisonment.

This guide provides general information only. It does not constitute legal advice. You should ensure your specific documents are reviewed by a qualified safety professional or legal expert to ensure full compliance with the laws in your state or territory.