Nightclub Fire Kills More Than 200 People

Fire – EAP

With no Fire – EAP (Emergency Action Plan) in place, more than 230 people were killed last weekend at a nightclub fire in Brazil. This being the most recent nightclub fire but hardly a single incident. Over the last decade there have been several other nightclub fires; December 4th, 2009 at Lame Horse Nightclub in Perm Russia, January 1st, 2009 at Sanitka Pub in Bangkok Thailand, December 30th, 2004 at Cromagnon in Buenos Aires Argentina and on February 17th, 2003 at E2 Nightclub in Chicago.

You definitely don’t want your business making headlines like the above. As a business owner you must ask yourself; Is my business ready to evacuate if a fire started? Have we done a fire drill recently? Does everyone know what to do?

OSHA 1910.38 states “An employer must have an emergency action plan whenever an OSHA standard in this part requires one. Furthermore, an emergency action plan must be in writing, kept in the workplace, and available to employees for review. However, an employer with 10 or fewer employees may communicate the plan orally to employees.”

An emergency action plan must include:

• Procedures for reporting a fire or other emergency;
• Procedures for emergency evacuation, including type of evacuation and exit route assignments;
• Procedures to be followed by employees who remain to operate critical plant operations before they evacuate;
• Procedures to account for all employees after evacuation;
• Procedures to be followed by employees performing rescue or medical duties; and
• The name or job title of every employee who may be contacted by employees who need more information about the plan or an explanation of their duties under the plan.
• An employer must have and maintain an employee alarm system

Training:

• An employer must designate and train employees to assist in a safe and orderly evacuation of other employees.
• An employer must review the emergency action plan with each employee covered by the plan.