Every workplace should be prepared to respond quickly and safely if a fire or another serious emergency occurs. While preventing fires is a key part of workplace health and safety, employers should also have clear evacuation procedures and suitable first aid arrangements to protect employees, visitors and contractors.
During an emergency, confusion can delay evacuation and increase the risk of injury. Well-planned procedures, trained staff, clear communication and appropriate first aid provision can help reduce the impact of an incident until emergency services arrive.
This guide explains how fire evacuation and workplace first aid work together, including employer responsibilities, evacuation planning, assembly points, visitors, fire wardens, first aid equipment and emergency procedures.
This information is general guidance and should not be considered legal advice.
Fire emergencies can develop quickly. Smoke, heat, alarms and panic may make even familiar workplaces difficult to navigate.
A well-planned evacuation procedure helps people leave the building safely and supports emergency services when they arrive.
Good planning can also help:
See Workplace Emergency Response Plan.
A workplace fire emergency is any situation where fire, smoke or a related hazard creates an immediate risk to people on site.
Examples include:
Not every emergency involves visible flames. Smoke, fumes, heat or a suspected fire can still require immediate evacuation.
Employers should have emergency arrangements that are suitable for their workplace. The exact arrangements depend on the size, layout, activities and risks of the premises.
Emergency planning may include:
Fire evacuation planning should be linked with wider first aid and emergency response arrangements.
See How to Call Emergency Services from the Workplace.
Every workplace should have a clear evacuation procedure that employees understand. The exact procedure will depend on the building and risk assessment, but most workplace evacuations follow similar principles.
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Raise the alarm immediately. |
| 2 | Call 999 if required. |
| 3 | Leave the building using the nearest safe exit. |
| 4 | Do not stop to collect personal belongings. |
| 5 | Do not use lifts unless they are specifically designed for emergency evacuation. |
| 6 | Go directly to the designated assembly point. |
| 7 | Report missing persons or concerns to the responsible person. |
| 8 | Do not re-enter the building until authorised. |
An assembly point is a designated safe location where people gather after evacuating the building.
Assembly points help employers account for employees, visitors and contractors after evacuation. They should be clearly communicated during inductions and drills.
A suitable assembly point should be:
During a fire evacuation, it is important to account for everyone who may have been inside the building.
This may include:
Visitor signing-in systems, contractor registers and staff attendance records can help support roll calls or other accounting procedures.
See Visitor Accident Procedure in the Workplace.
Visitors may not know the building layout, emergency exits or assembly point. They may also be unfamiliar with alarm sounds or site procedures.
Workplaces should consider how visitors will be informed and supported during an evacuation.
This may include:
See First Aid Provision for Visitors and the Public.
Some individuals may require additional assistance to leave a building safely during an emergency. A Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) is an individual plan developed to help someone evacuate safely if they cannot follow the standard evacuation procedure without support.
A PEEP may be appropriate for people with:
PEEPs should be reviewed whenever workplace layouts, responsibilities or individual circumstances change.
Many organisations appoint fire wardens or fire marshals to assist with emergency evacuations.
Their responsibilities vary between workplaces but may include:
Fire wardens should never place themselves at unnecessary risk while carrying out their duties.
Although evacuation is usually the priority, injuries can occur before, during or after leaving the building.
Common injuries may include:
Where it is safe to do so, trained first aiders may assist injured people until emergency services arrive.
Related guides:
Smoke is one of the greatest dangers during a fire. Even relatively small fires can produce smoke containing harmful gases and particles.
If someone has been exposed to smoke, they should be assessed appropriately and emergency medical assistance sought whenever required.
Employees should never re-enter a building to assist others unless they are specifically trained and authorised to do so.
Burns may occur during workplace fires, electrical incidents or contact with hot surfaces during an emergency.
The severity of burns varies considerably, and some injuries require urgent medical attention.
Employers should ensure suitable first aid equipment remains available following their workplace first aid needs assessment.
Depending on the workplace, this may include:
The type and quantity of equipment should reflect the hazards identified during workplace risk assessments.
If there is a serious fire, life-threatening injury or other emergency, the emergency services should be contacted immediately.
Employees should know:
See How to Call Emergency Services from the Workplace.
Regular fire drills help employees become familiar with evacuation procedures before an actual emergency occurs.
Fire drills may help identify:
Lessons learned from drills should be used to improve emergency procedures where appropriate.
Emergency procedures should not remain static. They should be reviewed whenever significant changes occur, including:
Regular reviews help ensure emergency arrangements remain suitable for the workplace.
Any injuries occurring during a fire emergency should be recorded in accordance with workplace procedures.
Recording incidents helps employers identify trends, improve emergency planning and review risk assessments where necessary.
See Accident Reporting & First Aid Records.
Fire evacuation planning and workplace first aid should work together as part of an effective emergency response strategy.
Clear procedures, trained employees, suitable first aid arrangements, regular fire drills and effective communication help protect employees, visitors and contractors while improving workplace preparedness.
Everyone should follow the workplace evacuation procedure immediately unless instructed otherwise by the emergency services or another authorised person.
An assembly point is a designated safe location where employees, visitors and contractors gather after evacuating a building so they can be accounted for.
A PEEP is an individual evacuation plan developed for someone who may require additional assistance leaving a building safely during an emergency.
Where it is safe to do so, trained first aiders may assist injured people while following workplace emergency procedures and without placing themselves at unnecessary risk.
Yes. Visitors should leave the building using the nearest safe exit and proceed to the designated assembly point with assistance from employees if required.
Fire drills should be carried out often enough to ensure employees remain familiar with evacuation procedures and any changes to the workplace or emergency arrangements.
Each workplace should have a clear emergency procedure identifying who is responsible for contacting the emergency services during a fire or other emergency.
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