All buildings should have safety precautions in place. No matter where
the building is located, or what its purpose, there should be both
physical precautions, like installing fire alarms and fire
extinguishers, and planning precautions, such as developing an
evacuation procedure. Whether it is an office building, an apartment
building, or a warehouse, there should be a plan for safe evacuation in
the event of a blackout, an intruder, a fire, or any other type of
disaster. Emergency exit signs with lights can be very helpful in these
situations.
When you ask some one to things of an example of an emergency, fire is
often the first thing that comes to mind. Blackouts can happen just as
easily, however, and they can be just as dangerous. A crowd of people
trying to find their way to the exits in a large building with many
flights of stairs could turn into complete chaos. This is one situation
where lighted emergency signs would be helpful.
Below are a few more tips for safety in the event of an emergency:
1. Be sure that all exits are available and accessible. Oftentimes,
emergency exits are blocked by large garbage cans or storage shelves,
because they are not used very often. Sometimes they are located in
locked stairwells. This renders them completely useless, as no one has
time to fumble with keys or move heavy equipment out of the way when
trying to make a quick getaway. Make sure these exits are accessible at
all times.
2. Have a plan in place. The last things you want is to have people are
running around in a chaotic fashion during an already dangerous time.
There needs to be an organized plan in place for evacuating your
building, and specific people should be designated to oversee different
aspects of the procedure.
3. Communicate regularly about the plan. Call a meeting every six months
of the people who are designated on each floor. Review their duties and
all of the procedures, and make them aware of any changes. This can
help to ensure that you fill any gaps in the leadership, making sure
that each area of the building is covered by an informed person. Let
these people know that they need to tell someone if they become unable
to perform their duties.
4. Post written instructions on the walls of the building. It is great
and necessary to have your designated evacuation leaders on every floor.
However, there might come a time when things have gotten so chaotic
that these people are unable to reach everyone and provide instructions.
This is one of the reasons why it helps to have the instructions posted
on the walls, with diagrams.
Ideally, all of these precautions will be just that-precautions. We
always hope that emergencies will not occur, and these plans and
procedures will not have to be enacted. Even so, having them in place
helps to create peace of mind. Emergency exit signs with lights, as well as a sound plan for evacuation, will help the workers and/or occupants of your building to feel safer and more secure.
