Tricks Of The Trade: Evac Plans

By B. Kevin Folsom, CEP
Published in the October 2012 issue of Today’s Facility Manager

Q I’ve been at my “new” job for eight months and am taking many steps to update the site. Our evacuation plans, posted around the building, are desperately in need of refreshing. We have far too many of them—pretty much posted around every corner. While it is nice to have an evac plan available in many places, I really need to pare it down. Can you tell me what the general requirements or accepted practices are for locating evac plans?

Maria Vickers
Section Manager, Facilities, Security, and Site Services
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
Boxborough, MA

A For a guideline on evacuation plans you will need to review NFPA 101 Life Safety Codes. You can obtain a free version that is read only online here. I would also advise you to consult with your local fire marshal’s office for their interpretation of this code.

Many things must be considered (number of floors, number of egress options, number of occupants, type of fire suppression system, etc.) for each facility to determine what is minimally required for evacuation plans.