In any commercial building, safety is paramount. The hazards associated with laboratory buildings can provide additional challenges in fire protection and life safety. One of the key components of ensuring safety is having well-coordinated emergency action plans in place. These plans not only safeguard the building itself but also protect its occupants.

It is common for individual lab tenants to have an emergency action plan but, often, these plans do not take into account the specifics of the building in which the tenant is located. The Massachusetts Fire Code requires lab buildings to have emergency action plans in place, and places the responsibility of coordinating the plans and making sure they are up to date on the property owner and management team.

Here’s how you can effectively coordinate emergency action plans at both the building and tenant levels:

1. Collaboration: At the building level, an overarching emergency action planning effort is required. This effort should involve representatives from building management, tenants, emergency responders, third-party consultants, and other stakeholders. This collaborative effort ensures that all perspectives are considered in the planning process.
2. Identify Potential Risks: Conduct a thorough assessment of hazards within and without the various tenant and building spaces to identify potential hazards such as hazardous material spills and released, fire, natural disasters, medical emergencies, etc. Understanding these risks is crucial for developing effective response strategies.
3. Create Comprehensive Plans: Develop separate emergency action plans for building management and tenants. Tenant-level plans should outline specific actions occupants should take during emergencies. Building-level plans should incorporate tenant related hazards as well as cover evacuation procedures, communication protocols, and coordination with emergency services.
4. Promote Communication and Education: All occupants should be trained on the procedures. The Fire Code specifically requires all lab users to be trained prior to working in the lab. Furthermore, regular communication of hazards and emergency procedures to tenants and building staff is necessary to ensure continued vigilance. This can be done through various channels such as meetings, memos, and digital platforms. Regular training sessions and drills should be incorporated to ensure everyone understands their roles and responsibilities.
5. Establish Reliable Communication Channels: Set up dependable communication channels between building management and tenants for disseminating emergency alerts and updates. Utilize multiple methods such as text messages, emails, and PA systems.
6. Coordinate Response Efforts: Define clear protocols for coordinating response efforts between building management, tenants, and emergency responders. Having well-defined roles and responsibilities ensures a coordinated and efficient response during emergencies.
7. Regular Review and Updates: Periodically review and update emergency action plans to reflect changes in occupancy, building layout, and regulations. Learning from drills and real incidents helps improve the effectiveness of the plans over time. At a minimum, this should be done annually but more regular updates are needed as tenants and hazards change.
8. Ensure Compliance and Documentation: Ensure that emergency action plans comply with relevant regulations and standards. Maintain detailed documentation of plans, training sessions, drills, and incident reports for future reference.

Jigsaw Life Safety can help tenants and building management maintain compliance with the applicable codes and best practices. By following these best practices and fostering collaboration between building management and tenants, you can create a safer and more resilient environment for everyone in the building. Remember, preparedness is key to effectively responding to emergencies and minimizing risks.