Office Evacuation Readiness Checklist

Assign emergency roles for each floor, including wardens, deputies, and first aiders.

Ensure primary and deputy coverage accounts for hybrid attendance, leave patterns, and unexpected absences.

Maintain an up-to-date contact list for all emergency role holders.

Brief contractors and long-term visitors on evacuation expectations and host responsibilities.

Ensure digital check-in systems are active and used by employees, visitors, and contractors.

Validate that check-in data is time-stamped and location-aware at floor or zone level.

Confirm real-time occupancy visibility is accessible to the designated emergency coordinator and nominated deputies.

Test that designated emergency coordinators can access live occupancy data within 30 seconds, including from a mobile device.

Maintain a printed fallback occupancy register updated at least weekly.

Inspect evacuation routes, stairwells, and exits on every floor.

Confirm emergency signage is visible and unobstructed.

Verify emergency lighting and alarms are operational.

Ensure assembly point locations are documented, communicated, and suitable for expected occupancy.

Pre-define emergency messages for common incident types.

Confirm emergency communication channels reach employees, visitors, and contractors.

Test alert delivery during business hours and low occupancy periods.

Confirm fallback communication methods if primary systems or networks fail.

Conduct evacuation drills at least twice per year, with at least one drill testing reduced occupancy conditions.

Confirm the incident type and location using available information without delaying protective actions.

Identify affected floors or zones based on immediate indicators.

Trigger emergency communication without delay.

Issue clear, directive instructions using plain language.

Avoid conflicting messages across channels.

Contact emergency services immediately where fire, smoke, explosion, gas leak, structural damage, credible threat, or serious injury is suspected.

Designated emergency coordinator accesses real-time occupancy data.

Confirm how many people are present and on which floors.

Identify presence of visitors, contractors, or persons requiring assistance.

Maintain a single point of coordination for decisions and external communication.

Ensure wardens receive consistent, timely instructions.

Log key decisions and timestamps as events unfold.

Direct occupants to the nearest safe exits.

Prevent re-entry once evacuation has commenced.

Manage stairwell flow to reduce congestion.

Wardens conduct a brief visual check of assigned areas only where there are no signs of smoke, heat, or structural risk.

Exit immediately if conditions change.

Use live occupancy data to prioritise checks of occupied areas.

During fire, smoke, or structural incidents, do not delay exit to sweep areas shown as unoccupied.

Identify anyone requiring assistance.

Confirm any pre-arranged assistance plans are current and known to wardens.

Ensure visitors and contractors evacuate with guided support.

Escalate unresolved location uncertainties immediately.

Provide updates if conditions change.

Reinforce instructions to proceed to assembly points.

Use live occupant lists where accessible.

Use printed fallback registers if devices or connectivity are unavailable.

Separate employees, visitors, and contractors for clarity.

Mark individuals as accounted for as confirmation occurs.

Complete an initial accountability check as soon as practicable after assembly.

Cross-check last-known location data for unaccounted individuals.

Escalate unresolved gaps to emergency services immediately after the initial check.

Maintain a single verified accountability list.

Avoid informal or duplicated headcounts.

Record time taken to achieve full or partial accountability.

Monitor assembly point conditions and secondary hazards.

Keep evacuees informed to reduce anxiety and unnecessary movement.

Obtain all-clear from attending emergency authorities before permitting re-entry.

Control staged re-entry where required.

Communicate re-entry decisions through the designated emergency coordinator only.

Review occupancy, evacuation, and communication timelines.

Identify delays, bottlenecks, and blind spots.

Confirm accountability outcomes using system data.

Conduct a structured debrief with wardens and operations.

Capture issues relating to visibility, communication, and coordination.

Update procedures, training, and system configurations as required.

Record incident actions, decisions, outcomes, and timestamps.

Store reports centrally for audit, assurance, and future planning.