Taking on seasonal staff? Give them a fire evacuation briefing before their first shift
A November delivery rush can put a new warehouse picker on an evening shift or a temporary retail worker in a stockroom they have never used. Before they start, take them through what to do when the fire alarm sounds in the part of the building where they will actually work.
Ireland’s Health and Safety Authority (HSA) says employers should give workers safety instruction they can understand, including what to do in an emergency. Its fire guidance also calls for practising evacuation procedures and considering anyone who might need assistance. Use the following briefing with your site’s own emergency plan.
Walk the route from their workstation
Explain how staff will recognise the alarm and what your site’s procedure requires if they discover a fire. Walk from their workstation to a final exit and the designated assembly point. Show the alternative escape route where your plan provides one. Include areas the new starter may only visit briefly, such as a stockroom or loading bay. If the work area or exit arrangements change, repeat the relevant part of the walkthrough.
Explain who will account for them
At the assembly point, show new starters where to report and who will account for them under the site plan. Decide how agency workers, contractors and visitors will be included. Give the shift lead access to a current record of who is on site, including late arrivals and early departures. Check who covers warden duties on evenings and weekends, when the usual team may be away.
Agree assistance before it is needed
Give staff a private way to raise any evacuation support needs, including temporary ones. Follow your site’s arrangements for agreeing the assistance, assigning trained people and checking cover on the shifts involved. Use a briefing format and language staff can understand. A route demonstration can help you check what someone has understood.
Ask three questions before they start
- What will you do if the fire alarm sounds while you are working here?
- Which route will you take if your usual route is unavailable?
- Where will you report, and who will account for you?
Walk through any answer they are unsure of. Record who received the briefing, when and who delivered it. At the next planned drill, check whether seasonal staff find the assembly point and whether the person running the roll call can account for them. Assign any follow-up to a named person with a due date.
Irish guidance
- HSA guidance on emergency escape and firefighting
- HSA summary of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005
Contact Trailblaze Safety for fire warden training or help reviewing your workplace evacuation arrangements. Tell us your location, approximate staff numbers and the shifts you need to cover.