Emergency plan

What is the emergency plan?

Every company, regardless of its size or activity, must be prepared to respond to an emergency. Article 20 of Law 31/1995 establishes this as a general obligation for employers, taking into account the size and activity of the company and the possible presence of third parties. The emergency plan is the means of organizing this response: it identifies the risks that could cause an emergency, classifies situations according to their severity (small emergency, partial emergency, general emergency), establishes the actions to be taken in each case, assigns roles to the intervention teams, and specifies the available technical and human resources.

The plan is based on the protective measures required by the regulations on workplace safety (Royal Decree 486/1997), fire protection installations (Royal Decree 513/2017), safety in industrial establishments (Royal Decree 164/2025) and by the Technical Building Code in its document on fire safety, which determine the provision of fire extinguishers, fire hydrants, detection, alarm, signage, emergency lighting and evacuation routes.

When a center is included in the catalog of activities of the Basic Self-Protection Standard (Royal Decree 393/2007) due to its risk or occupancy, it must prepare a self-protection plan with the content and structure established in that standard, register it with the competent authority, and coordinate it with civil protection plans. The workplace emergency plan is then integrated into this broader document.

Plan Content

• Risk identification and assessment. Description of the center, the activity, the occupancy and the risks that may generate emergencies, with site and facility plans.
• Protective measures. Inventory of technical resources (fire extinguishers, fire hose reels, detection, alarm, lighting, signage, exits) and human resources (first and second intervention teams, alarm and evacuation teams, first aid teams and emergency manager), with their location and training.
• Classification of emergencies. According to severity (minor emergency, partial emergency, general emergency), occupation (workday, shifts, holidays) and type (fire, explosion, chemical leak, medical emergency, threat, natural phenomenon).
• Action procedures. Detection and alert, alarm, intervention, evacuation or confinement, assembly point and headcount, notification and reception of external services, and end of the emergency.
• Implementation. Responsibilities, team training, information for all staff and external parties, signage, drills and equipment maintenance program.
• External coordination. Relations with firefighters, health services, civil protection and neighboring companies, particularly in industrial parks and shared buildings.

Implementation and maintenance

• Team training. Practices with fire extinguishers and fire hose reels, first aid, evacuation techniques and communication, with periodic refresher courses.
• General information. Guidelines for all staff, including new hires, contractors, and visitors.
• Drills. At least one per year in self-protection plans and with the frequency set by the plan itself in the rest, with evaluation of results and improvement actions.
• Maintenance. Inspections of fire protection equipment in accordance with Royal Decree 513/2017 and verification of signage, lighting and evacuation routes.
• Plan review. In the event of changes in activity, facilities, occupancy or organization, and after each emergency or drill that reveals deficiencies.

Organizational application: how to develop and implement the plan

1. Analyze possible emergency situations in each center based on risk assessment, activity, occupancy and environment.
2. Check the provision of protective equipment required by applicable regulations and correct any deficiencies.
3. Design the emergency organization: emergency chief, intervention chief, shift teams and substitutes, with written functions.
4. Draft the procedures for action by type of emergency and the general instructions, with evacuation plans and meeting points.
5. Train the teams and the entire staff, and post and display the instructions in the workplaces.
6. Conduct drills with observers, timing and evaluation, and document the improvements.
7. Maintain the resources, review the plan in response to changes, and coordinate it with external services and participating companies.

Preventive management software allows you to manage emergency organization by center and shift, plan training and drills, record equipment reviews, and keep plans and evidence up to date.

Limits and common mistakes

1. Having a document plan without designated teams, training, or drills.
2. Not covering all shifts, periods of low occupancy, or the presence of contractors and visitors.
3. Confusing the workplace emergency plan with the self-protection plan and omitting registration when the Basic Self-Protection Standard requires it.
4. Maintaining obstructed evacuation routes, closed exits, or deficient emergency signage and lighting.
5. Do not revise the plan after changes to the facilities or the activity, or after deficiencies are detected in a drill.
6. Forgetting about emergencies other than fire: medical, chemical, electrical, natural phenomena or external threats.

Specific requirements depend on the activity, the size of the center and regional and local regulations; this sheet is for informational purposes only.

Regulatory framework in Spain

• Law 31/1995, article 20. Emergency measures: analysis, first aid, fire fighting, evacuation and relations with external services.
• Royal Decree 393/2007, of March 23. Basic Self-Protection Standard for centers, establishments and premises dedicated to activities that may give rise to emergency situations.
• Royal Decree 486/1997, of April 14. Minimum safety and health provisions in the workplace: evacuation routes and exits, fire protection, signage and lighting.
• Royal Decree 513/2017, of May 22. Regulation of fire protection installations: installation and maintenance of the means.
• Royal Decree 164/2025, of March 4. Fire safety regulations in industrial establishments.

In Colombia, Decree 1072 of 2015 requires a plan for prevention, preparedness and response to emergencies within the SG-SST; the ISO 45001 standard includes emergency preparedness and response among its requirements.