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| Check Your Emergency Evacuation System |
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Most facilities that handle hazardous materials have emergency evacuation plans to protect
their employees in the event of an accidental release, fire, or other emergency. In the United States, facilities with Process Safety Management programs,
among others, must have Emergency Action Plans meeting certain criteria (See 29 CFR 1910.38, Employee Emergency Plans and Fire Prevention Plans).
One of the most important elements of an emergency plan is an alarm system to notify employees of an emergency. Many different types of
alarm systems are permitted (for US Facilities, see 29 CFR 1910.165, Employee Alarm Systems), ranging from fully-supervised and UL-Listed hard-wired fire
alarms to simple air-horn or word-of-mouth chains, which are acceptable only in certain situations.
Several factors are important to all
emergency alarm systems:
• The system should function as designed. Generally, this means that it should be maintained and tested regularly.
• The alarm should be detectable everywhere. An alarm system that can’t be heard or seen is useless.
• The system should be
identifiable. Some facilities rely on public-address system announcements for evacuation. If employees are not trained to listen for evacuation
announcements, they may learn to ignore the PA system.
If you have an emergency evacuation alarm in your facility, check to see that it
meets the above criteria. AcuTech has experts who assist companies with Emergency Action Plans and related training. We frequently find deficiencies in
facility alarm systems such as dead zones with no alarm coverage, noisy areas where alarms are not audible, or poorly-maintained systems that have not
functioned in years. By identifying and fixing any problems with your alarm system, you will take a giant step toward protecting your employees or
co-workers in the event of an emergency, as well as improve your regulatory compliance. |
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