The Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires almost all businesses to have an emergency action plan (EAP). [29 CFR 1910.38(e)] The purpose of an EAP is to facilitate and organize employers and employees during workplace emergencies. When an employer implements a well developed emergency plan and properly trains employees to understand their roles and responsibilities within the plan, less severe employee injuries and less structural damage to the facility will occur during emergencies.
To ensure the fastest, most accurate accountability of employees, employers may want to designate meeting locations where employees should gather after evacuating. When designating meeting locations, employers must make sure the locations have sufficient space to accommodate all of the employees. These must also be safe distance from the building and in an area where people can assemble safely without interfering with emergency response teams.
The Federal Emergency Evacuation Area poster helps identify a meeting location where employees can gather following an evacuation.