Emergency drill

Objectives and types of drills

The drills pursue several complementary objectives: to train emergency teams (alarm and evacuation, first and second intervention, first aid) and staff in the plan’s procedures; to verify detection, alarm, response, and evacuation times; to check the condition and effectiveness of facilities and protective equipment; to test internal communication channels and those with public emergency services; to identify deficiencies in the plan, training, signage, or facilities; and to consolidate a culture of prevention through practice. Each drill must have defined and measurable objectives, which vary according to the plan’s maturity and the conclusions drawn from previous exercises.

Depending on their scope and level of warning, drills are classified as tabletop or desk drills (reviewing the procedure with those in charge, without moving people), partial drills (focusing on a specific area, shift, team, or phase of the plan, such as the alarm or fire extinguisher intervention), and full-scale drills (complete evacuation of the facility with the participation of all personnel and, where applicable, external services). These drills can be announced, with a known date and time, suitable for initial implementations and for facilities with the public or vulnerable individuals, or unannounced, which are more realistic and reserved for experienced organizations, always with the knowledge of a control group and with measures in place to prevent unnecessary risks and alarms.

The INSST NTP 361, referring to emergency plans in public places, and the Basic Self-Protection Standard describe drills as part of the program for implementing and maintaining the effectiveness of the plan, along with training, information and maintenance of facilities, and require that their results be evaluated and incorporated into the review of the plan.

Phases of a drill

• Planning. Definition of objectives, scenario, scope, date and time, participants, observers, safety measures, evaluation criteria and prior communication to external services, participating companies and, where applicable, neighbors.
• Preparation. Review of the plan and procedures, verification of facilities and resources, training or refresher of teams, preparation of observation sheets and designation of the control group.
• Execution. Activation of the scenario, action of the teams according to the plan, evacuation or confinement, headcount at the assembly point, communication with external services and controlled termination.
• Observation. Recording by trained observers of times, actions, behaviors, incidents and the state of the means, with homogeneous criteria.
• Evaluation. Analysis meeting with the teams and observers, comparison with the objectives and reference times and identification of deficiencies and good practices.
• Report and improvements. Documented report with results, incidents and corrective actions with responsible parties and deadlines, communication to the staff and the workers’ representatives and, in the mandatory activities, record available to the administration.
• Follow-up. Verification of the completion of actions and consideration of the results in the review of the plan and in the design of the next drill.

Safety requirements and conditions

• Frequency. At least annually in activities subject to the Basic Self-Protection Standard and with the frequency appropriate to the risk in the rest, considering shifts, centers and staff rotation.
• Exercise safety. Measures to prevent accidents during the drill: identification of hazardous areas, people with reduced mobility, weather conditions, traffic, and coordination with production.
• Communication. Prior notification to public emergency services and participating companies to avoid real activations, and communication to staff regarding announced drills.
• Realism. Scenarios based on assessed risks and real incidents, with simulation elements (cold smoke, simulated victims, unavailability of an exit) tailored to the organization’s experience.
• Participation. Consultation with worker safety representatives and participation of the safety and health committee in planning and evaluation.
• Uninvolved and vulnerable people. Inclusion of contractors, visitors, clients and people with disabilities or reduced mobility in the design and in assisted evacuation measures.
• Record. Documentation of the drill (planning, observation sheets, report, actions) as part of the preventive documentation .

Organizational application: how to plan and evaluate a drill

1. Define the objectives of the drill based on the emergency plan, the assessed risks, the incidents and the conclusions of the previous exercise, and choose the type (cabinet, partial or general; announced or not).
2. Design the scenario with scope, date and time, participants, observers, simulation elements, safety measures, and reference criteria and times for evaluation.
3. Communicate the exercise to the public emergency services, to the participating companies and, in the case of announced drills, to the staff; consult the worker safety representatives.
4. Prepare the teams and check the facilities and equipment before the exercise.
5. Execute the drill according to the plan, with the control group attentive to safety and with the observers recording times and actions.
6. Evaluate with the teams and observers, prepare the report with deficiencies, good practices and corrective actions with responsible parties and deadlines, and communicate the results.
7. Close the actions, incorporate the conclusions into the plan review, and plan the next drill.

Preventive management software allows planning drills by center and shift, managing prior communications, recording observation sheets and times, generating the report, following corrective actions and maintaining the traceability required by the Basic Self-Protection Standard and by the management system.

Limits and common mistakes

1. Conducting the drill as an annual formality without defined objectives, observers, or evaluation.
2. Always repeating the same scenario and the same shift, leaving part of the squad and teams without training.
3. Do not notify emergency services or other businesses, with the risk of actual activations.
4. Generating risks during the exercise due to a lack of safety measures or a control group.
5. Failure to prepare the report or close the corrective actions, so the deficiencies are repeated.
6. Exclude contractors, visitors, and people with reduced mobility from the design of the drill.

The criteria for implementing and maintaining the plans are set out in the Basic Self-Protection Standard and in the INSST documentation; this sheet is for informational purposes.

Regulatory and reference framework

• Law 31/1995, of November 8. Law on Prevention of Occupational Risks; emergency measures and periodic verification of their operation (Article 20).
• Royal Decree 393/2007, of March 23. Basic Self-Protection Standard; implementation, at least annual drills and maintenance of the plan’s effectiveness.
• Royal Decree 486/1997, of April 14. Minimum health and safety provisions in the workplace; evacuation routes and exits and fire protection.
• Royal Decree 485/1997, of April 14. Safety and health signage; evacuation signs and fire-fighting equipment.
• Royal Decree 171/2004, of January 30. Coordination of business activities; information on emergency measures to participating companies.
• NTP 361. Emergency plans in public places . Implementation and maintenance of emergency plans, including drills.

Regional self-protection regulations and civil protection plans may establish additional requirements regarding the frequency, communication and recording of drills.