🚨 Emergency Drill Playbook

Plan, execute, and document emergency drills so your crew knows exactly what to do when seconds count. A practiced response saves lives — an unpracticed one costs them.

---

Why Emergency Drills Matter

Without Regular Drills	With Regular Drills
Workers freeze or panic during real emergencies	Muscle memory takes over — workers react automatically
Evacuation takes 10+ minutes with people unaccounted for	Evacuation completes in under 5 minutes with 100% accountability
Emergency exits blocked by materials or equipment	Problems discovered and fixed before a real emergency
Emergency contacts outdated, phones don't work	Communication gaps identified and corrected in advance
OSHA citations for inadequate emergency action plan	Documented compliance with 29 CFR 1926.35

The Drill IS the Training

You can hand out emergency action plans all day. Workers won't remember step 7 on page 3 when a fire breaks out. The only training that sticks is the one they physically practice. If your crew has never walked to the muster point, they won't find it when smoke is in the air.

---

Types of Emergency Drills

Drill Type	Scenario	Frequency	Who Participates
Evacuation	Fire, structural collapse, gas leak, chemical release	Quarterly minimum	All workers on site
Fire	Fire in trailer, hot work ignition, electrical fire	Quarterly minimum	All workers + fire watch personnel
Medical Emergency	Cardiac arrest, fall from height, amputation, heat stroke	Semi-annually	All workers — focus on first responders
Severe Weather	Tornado, lightning, flash flooding, extreme heat	Seasonally (before storm season)	All workers on site
Active Threat	Unauthorized person on site, violent individual	Annually	All workers — coordinate with local law enforcement
Rescue	Confined space rescue, fall arrest rescue, trench rescue	Per entry/task schedule	Rescue team members + standby personnel

High-Hazard Sites Need Monthly Drills

If your project involves confined space entry, work over water, deep excavations, or demolition, run drills monthly. The higher the hazard, the more practice your crew needs.

---

Roles and Responsibilities

Role	Responsibilities
Safety Director	Develop drill calendar, design scenarios, lead after-action review, track metrics
Superintendent	Coordinate drill logistics, ensure all crews participate, verify assembly point setup
Foreman / Supervisor	Account for all crew members at muster point, report headcount, lead crew to assembly area
Drill Observer(s)	Time the drill, note gaps, observe worker behavior, document findings
First Aid / Rescue Team	Demonstrate response capabilities, practice rescue procedures, verify equipment readiness
Workers	Participate fully, follow evacuation routes, report to muster point, provide feedback

---

Step-by-Step Process

Phase 1: Plan the Drill

2–4 weeks before the drill:

1. Select the scenario — Choose a realistic emergency relevant to current site conditions
2. Set the date and time — Vary the day and time so workers don't always expect it (avoid shift changes and critical pours/lifts)
3. Notify key personnel — Superintendent, foremen, first aid team, GC site team (if sub)
4. Assign observers — At least one per evacuation route plus one at each muster point
5. Prepare observer checklists — What to watch for, what to time, what to document
6. Verify safety precautions — Ensure the drill itself won't create hazards (shut down cranes, secure open excavations)
7. Coordinate with the GC/owner — Multi-employer sites need coordinated drills

Drill Planning Checklist	Status
Scenario selected and written up	☐
Date, time, and duration confirmed	☐
Observers assigned and briefed	☐
Observer checklists prepared	☐
Muster points confirmed and marked	☐
Emergency equipment verified (alarms, extinguishers, first aid)	☐
Notifications sent (GC, owner, neighboring contractors)	☐
Safety precautions for drill identified	☐

Announce or Unannounced?

Start with announced drills until your crew demonstrates consistent performance. Once teams evacuate correctly in announced drills, introduce unannounced drills to test real-world readiness. Always ensure an unannounced drill won't create a safety hazard (e.g., don't trigger during a crane lift).

Phase 2: Pre-Drill Briefing (Announced Drills)

Day of the drill — 15 minutes before:

1. Brief all foremen on the scenario and their responsibilities
2. Confirm observer positions
3. Verify muster point locations are clear and accessible
4. Confirm communication devices are working (radios, air horns, PA)
5. Review the "all-clear" signal so everyone knows when the drill ends

Phase 3: Execute the Drill

Drill sequence:

Step	Action	Who
1. Trigger	Sound the alarm — air horn, radio call, PA announcement	Superintendent or Safety Director
2. Stop Work	All workers stop what they're doing, secure equipment	All workers
3. Evacuate	Workers move to designated muster point via nearest safe route	All workers, led by foremen
4. Accountability	Foremen take headcount and report to superintendent	Foremen → Superintendent
5. Communication	Superintendent reports full accountability (or missing persons) to Safety Director	Superintendent → Safety Director
6. Emergency Response	First aid/rescue team demonstrates response (if applicable)	Rescue/first aid team
7. All-Clear	Safety Director signals all-clear — workers return to work areas	Safety Director

Phase 4: Evaluate the Drill

Immediately after the all-clear, observers report on:

Evaluation Criteria	Target	What to Measure
Evacuation time	Under 5 minutes (site-dependent)	Time from alarm to 100% accountability
Accountability accuracy	100%	Were all workers accounted for? Any missed?
Alarm audibility	Heard by 100% of workers	Could everyone hear the alarm in all work areas?
Route usage	All routes used correctly	Did workers use designated routes? Were any blocked?
Communication	Clear chain of command	Did foremen report to superintendent? Radio communications clear?
Equipment access	All accessible	Fire extinguishers, first aid kits, AEDs — were they accessible and functional?
Special needs	All accommodated	Were injured/mobility-limited workers assisted?
Visitor accountability	All visitors accounted for	Were office visitors, inspectors, and deliveries included?

Phase 5: After-Action Review

Within 24 hours — hold a brief meeting with foremen, observers, and safety team:

1. What went well — Acknowledge what worked (fast response, good communication, clear routes)
2. What needs improvement — Be specific (blocked exit at Building B, radio channel confusion, 2 workers unaccounted for 3 minutes)
3. Root cause of gaps — Why did the problem occur? (untrained new hires, changed site layout, broken alarm)
4. Action items — Assign corrective actions with responsible person and due date
5. Share results — Brief all crews at the next toolbox talk on drill results and improvements

---

Documentation Requirements

Every drill must be documented with:

Document Element	Details
Date, time, and duration	Start time, all-clear time, total elapsed
Drill type and scenario	What emergency was simulated
Participants	Total headcount, list of all personnel on site
Observer names and assignments	Who observed what
Evacuation time	Time from alarm to 100% accountability
Accountability results	Number accounted for, any gaps
Findings	What worked, what didn't
Action items	Corrective actions with owners and due dates
Photos	Assembly area, routes, any blocked exits or issues found

App Integration — Document Drills Digitally

Use BLDR Pro to document drill execution with timestamped photos of assembly areas, blocked routes, and equipment access issues. Attach observer checklists and after-action notes directly to the project record. Use Safety Meetings to deliver the drill briefing, capture attendance for the pre-drill safety meeting, and document the after-action review discussion with all participants.

---

Emergency Equipment Verification

Use each drill as an opportunity to verify emergency equipment:

Equipment	Verify	Frequency
Fire extinguishers	Charged, accessible, unobstructed, inspected monthly	Every drill
First aid kits	Stocked, accessible, location posted	Every drill
AED (if on site)	Charged, pads not expired, accessible	Every drill
Air horns / alarms	Audible from all work areas	Every drill
Emergency contact board	Posted, current, visible	Every drill
Evacuation route maps	Posted, current, reflect site layout changes	Every drill
Emergency lighting	Functional	Quarterly
Eye wash stations	Functional, flushed	Every drill
Rescue equipment	Inspected, accessible, team trained	Per rescue drill

---

Metrics and Tracking

Metric	Target	Frequency
Drills conducted vs. planned	100% completion	Quarterly review
Evacuation time	Under 5 minutes (site-specific)	Per drill
Accountability accuracy	100% of workers accounted for	Per drill
Alarm audibility	100% of work areas covered	Per drill
Action items closed on time	100% by due date	Monthly review
Emergency equipment pass rate	100% functional	Per drill
Worker participation rate	100% of on-site workers	Per drill

---

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Problem	Fix
Never conducting drills	Workers have no idea what to do in an emergency	Schedule quarterly drills minimum — put them on the project calendar
Same drill every time	Workers memorize one scenario, can't adapt	Rotate scenarios — evacuation, fire, medical, weather
Always announced	Workers prepare ahead, drill doesn't test real readiness	Mix in unannounced drills once announced drills go well
No accountability check	You evacuated but don't know if everyone is out	Foremen must take headcount and report — this is the most critical step
Skipping the after-action review	Same problems repeat every drill	Debrief within 24 hours, assign action items, follow up
No documentation	No proof drills occurred, no trend tracking	Document every drill with time, participants, findings, and photos
Blocking evacuation routes	Materials and equipment stored in front of exits	Inspect routes before and during drills — keep them clear always
Forgetting visitors and office staff	Visitors unaccounted for during emergency	Include sign-in logs at the gate, brief all visitors on muster points
Drill creates a hazard	Running a drill during a crane lift or critical pour	Coordinate timing — ensure the drill itself is safe

---

Drill Frequency Calendar (Recommended)

Quarter	Drill Type	Focus
Q1 (Jan–Mar)	Evacuation Drill	Full-site evacuation, muster point accountability
Q2 (Apr–Jun)	Severe Weather Drill	Tornado/lightning shelter-in-place, seasonal preparation
Q3 (Jul–Sep)	Medical Emergency Drill	Heat illness response, fall rescue, first aid team activation
Q4 (Oct–Dec)	Fire Drill	Fire extinguisher use, hot work fire response, fire watch protocols
Monthly (high-hazard sites)	Rotating	Alternate between drill types based on current site hazards

---

Related Resources

Resource	Link
Incident Reporting Playbook	Incident Reporting
Toolbox Talk Playbook	Toolbox Talks
JSA/JHA Playbook	JSA/JHA Process
Safety Compliance Guide	Compliance Guide
Run Effective Safety Meetings	Safety Meetings Guide
Toolbox Talk Library	Browse All Talks