Fire! Evacuation! Now What?

Does your plant have evacuation procedures when the fire alarm signals?  

Do you practice them? 

How do your plant handle training new workers with the evacuation procedures?

Here is a story that happened to one of the APSB editors.

In 2011 during a routine cast house tour the fire alarm signaled. Surprisingly, the alarm started at the exact instant that the inspection was beginning. While standing on the bottom block waiting for the casting operator to lower the table into the casting pit the sound began. Upon hearing the siren all of the plant personal observing me looked at me. I immediately replied "I didn't do anything!".

So, one of my contacts who was with me then at the cast house was the Emergency Management officer. With the sirens blaring and lights flashing I followed my contact to an area outside the cast house and waited in a designated area. With nothing to do until the fire was put out, I decided to observe.

The plant fire department arrived as other emergency management plant staff. It was obvious that this plant prepared for any scenario. 

The fire had originated in one of the cast house smoke stacks. The plant fire department were well organized and methodically went about identifying the situation and began to identify any precautions and hazards that needed to be addressed prior to investigating the smoke. The firemen and fire women got suited up and entered the cast house. While some firemen climbed onto the roof. They eventually found the cause of fire. The drawings of the smoke stack listed it as  unlined. It was not. An outside worker cutting into the smokestack with an acetylene torch caught the liner caught on fire. After a while the fire department was able to get the blaze under control. I was amazed by how much and how heavy the gear the firemen wore. They did a great job that day!  

The internet is so vast that sometimes it is too large to find anything. For instance, where would one find a document on how to establish a evacuation procedure for your individual plant? 

The APSB will start posting links to assist our readers in locating useful practical information.

Here is OHSA'S document "How to Plan for Workplace Emergencies and Evacuations".

Please comment on one of the following:

1. Does your plant have evacuation procedures when the fire alarm signals?  
2. Do you practice them? 
3. How do you handle training new workers with the evacuation procedures?