INTRODUCTION

The technique of evacuating personnel from hazardous environments is far from new.

Indeed much of the terminology readily accepted in British industry today comes from our maritime past e.g. muster areas or assembly points. As a result of the complexity of modern manufacturing processes the need to evacuate personnel from hazardous environments (not simply fires) is of major concern to employees, their representatives, management and enforcement agencies. Today, it is internationally recognised that companies should be able to safely evacuate personnel in an emergency from manufacturing premises within 2.5 minutes. This document is intended to illustrate how The Greencore Group believes this can be best achieved.

Terminology

Emergency Manager
The most senior Manager or Supervisor on site at the time of the emergency.
It should be noted that this individual should be a regular attendee of the location.
It is therefore recommended, that divisional managers should not be asked to hold this position.

Emergency Warden
An employee probably of supervisory standing and usually responsible for the management of an area of the manufacturing plant.

Emergency Control Point or Centre
A designated area away from the manufacturing area that has communications and site location drawings available. The use of mobile telephones should be considered where fixed telephone lines not available.

Pre-amble

The Greencore Group accepts that fire fighting must be left to the emergency services. Fire Extinguishers are provided to assist personnel to escape premises on fire. In the event of an emergency all personnel are urged to alert other personnel, activate the alarm system and leave the premises in an orderly fashion via the nearest available escape route. Wherever possible, close doors to prevent the spread of smoke and fire.

Go directly to your designated assembly area and await further instructions. Never allow yourself to become trapped or overcome by toxic or dangerous fumes. Only where there is no danger of the emergency spiralling out of control should personnel attempt to extinguish a fire. Call the Emergency Services, get out and stay out.

Management of an Emergency situation

Step 01

Produce and maintain up to date location drawings outside the manufacturing location.
This can easily be achieved by storing drawings in an envelope in security huts,
at access control points or in a clearly marked watertight container on the wall.

Step 02

Clearly identify and label assembly points
at a safe distance from the manufacturing location.
Remember a safe area for one type of emergency may become a hazard with another. An example of this would be the accidental evacuation of personnel during an ammonia gas leak. The assembly area could become contaminated as a result of the direction of the prevailing wind. Also during the evacuation of personnel following a bomb alert personnel may accidentally walk through the dander area to reach the assembly area. These types of hazards must be taken into consideration when completing risk assessments.

Step 03

Identify, select and train Emergency Managers.
Remember to recruit sufficient personnel to cover for unsociable hours,
holiday's, sickness and business trips away from the company.

The role of the Emergency Manager
In the event of an emergency, this person should be amongst the first to leave the premises.
They should proceed to the Emergency Control Centre or Point. Their role is to account for all of the Emergency Wardens and to liaise with the Senior Officer from the Emergency Services. 

If the Emergency Services have not been called they should do so as soon as possible
Whilst, they are waiting for the Emergency Services and the Emergency Wardens the Emergency Manager should have site drawings available and check available communications. Upto date copies of these drawings should be housed in a secure waterproof container at the main endurance or on public display within the security office at the main entrance to the company provided that this office will not be adversely affected by potential emergencies.

Step 04

Identify, select and train Emergency Wardens.
Remember to recruit sufficient personnel to cover for unsociable hours,
holiday's sickness and business trips away from the company.

In the event of an emergency the Emergency Warden should ensure that their area is clear of personnel. Particular attention should be paid to rest rooms and toilets. Emergency Wardens are permitted to enter toilets of the opposite sex, however they should make their presence known to any personnel using the facility, before entering the room.

When the Emergency Warden has satisfied themselves that their area is clear, they must report to the Emergency Manager.
This clarifies two issues;

1. that the area is clear and that there is no reason for the Emergency Services to search that area and
2. that they themselves are clear of the hazard zone.

When these tasks have been completed they should report to their allotted assembly point and await further instructions.

Step 05

Divide the manufacturing location into areas
that can be quickly searched by the Emergency Wardens.

Planned evacuations
The Greencore Group do not believe there is value in unannounced emergency training exercises. The advantage of assessing personnel responses during unannounced evacuation procedures has to be considered against the potential injuries of personnel who may be hurt believing that the practice session is a real emergency.

Purpose of planned evacuations.
Conditions in the companies fire certificate issued as a result of legislation will impose a minimum number of training evacuations per year. It is an offence not to comply. Also the planned training evacuation will enable Company Safety Advisors to assess the effectiveness of the evacuation procedure. They can then adjust the procedure or increase the level of personnel awareness through training if necessary.
The company is also able to time the length of the evacuation procedure.

The recording of employees at Emergency Assemble areas
To satisfy international best practice of evacuating personnel within 2.5 minutes. The use of checklists is not advisable. Companies may wish to re-evaluate this principal, as user-friendly systems are developed with the assistance of computer technology.

What if an Emergency Warden fails to report to the Emergency Manager?
The Emergency Manager will inform the Emergency Services that a particular area of the premises has not been cleared. This will then be checked by the Emergency Services as an area of priority. Remember the Emergency Services will happily search these areas but it would be wrong to ask them to perform this task unnecessarily.

What if an Emergency Warden identifies a problem such as fire whilst searching the premises?
Get out, stay out and inform the Emergency Manager who will relay the information to the Emergency Services.

When is it safe to re-enter the premises?
At such a time as the Emergency Services
give the company permission to re-enter the work place.