Amidst the business of sustaining a profitable organization, companies must ensure that their employees and work conditions are safe. Documenting emergency preparedness drills for industrial settings is not only mandated by various regulatory agencies, but it also identifies deficiencies in emergency response planning programs. The most effective method to test emergency plans is by conducting routine drills and exercises.
Documentation of Emergency preparedness drills provide:
- Historical records of drills
- Communication of proactive emergency response practices to management, the community, and regulators legal records
- Accounting for time and maintenance costs
- A mechanism to document “Lessons Learned”
Emergency response drill frequency and specific requirements vary depending on the location and type of facility. Information and checklists to be included in emergency response drill documentation may include:
- Description of Scenario
- Type of alarms activated
- Evacuation timeline and results
- Assembly areas used and acceptability for the simulated emergency
- Communications equipment utilized and its effectiveness
- Effectiveness of process used for employee headcount
- Critique of procedures implemented as described in the Emergency Response Plan
- Areas for improvement identified by exercise participants
- A list of local responders that participates in the drill and their suggestions for improvement
- A list of changes that need to be made to the Emergency Response Plan
Required drill frequency varies with regulatory requirements. Documentation of lessons learned complete the process and form the foundation for testing and improving emergency plans. In the event of an actual incident, lives may be saved as a result of proper documentation and post drill implementation of lessons learned.