With more Americans delaying retirement or holding jobs with unique skill sets, older workers are reshaping the American workforce. Employees over 55 years old now account for nearly 23% of the workforce—a number that is projected to rise to 25% by 2031.
As Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) professionals partner with businesses to keep all employees and guests safe under all circumstances, the aging workforce presents some challenges and uniqueness that need to be addressed, particularly during an emergency. In this article, we highlight the pressing need to design and implement evacuation plans that account for different physical abilities and a growing population that may need additional support.
The overlooked variable: Hidden workforce disabilities
Emergency evacuation plans assume a generic level of physical ability among employees. Standard procedures often involve a rapid descent down stairwells in multi-story buildings—but what portion of your employees are physically capable of navigating stairs quickly and safely? Data shows that it’s not nearly as many as companies think—and it could be decreasing quickly.
Corporations estimate that 4% to 7% of their workforce are people with disabilities. When disabilities are disclosed, companies, of course, provide day-to-day accommodations and support for employees. But what about unreported disabilities? A recent global survey of employees found that 25% of respondents reported having a disability or health condition that limits their daily activities. That is a huge gap in awareness of disabilities within a workforce and having the preparation to be able to support employees during an evacuation.
Furthermore, according to the CDC, 12.2% of U.S. adults have a mobility disability, and 18.6% report difficulty walking or climbing steps. Now pair that with an aging workforce that may remain silent about their support needs. Does your evacuation plan account for a way to safety and quickly support nearly a fourth of your population in a single flow evacuation, meaning that no one needs to re-enter the building once they have successfully made it to safety.
Broadening your evacuation plans for accessibility and functional needs
Ensuring that emergency plans meet the needs of differently abled employees requires more than just understanding the needs. Physical infrastructure, evacuation routes, and available equipment all must be evaluated, conveniently located, and trained on to ensure that employees can quickly activate during a high stress time. EHS professionals can utilize the following key strategies to address the hidden disability gap with their emergency evacuation plan.
- Engaging with employees annually
Regular and inclusive reviews of your emergency evacuation plan are essential. While it is important to engage with all employees to review and enact evacuation plans each year, holding an open session for employees that may have special considerations during an evacuation can not only help identify unknown needs, but also give those employees additional time to determine any accommodations needed. These sessions should provide a forum for employees to voice their concerns and suggest modifications to existing procedures.
- Regular training and drills
Targeted training programs and regular evacuation drills can help identify different considerations that different areas of the business may benefit from. Drills should simulate real-world scenarios and include participation from all individuals in the company to test the efficacy of your tailored plans.
Even if your workforce population is relatively stable, their ability levels will fluctuate over time. Annual training and drills help to ensure that your emergency evacuation plan is meeting the needs of your workforce today and highlight any gaps that need to be accounted for.
The optimal evacuation scenario is a single-flow evacuation that we previously mentioned. To achieve a single-flow evacuation, there must be enough safety equipment and trained personnel to evacuate all who need assistance in a single operation without the need for anyone to re-enter the building. In many evacuation scenarios, building re-entry would not be safe for your staff. Your annual drills are both an opportunity to test your staff’s ability to execute the evacuation plan and to informally assess their sheer ability to quickly and safely navigate a stairwell.
Now you might be thinking, by the time some people have exited the building, first responders should be on scene and would then be able to go in and support others that need help evacuating. While that could potentially be true, that is a critical aspect of your plan that you have no control over and would significantly increase the liability and risk to your people. Instead, having enough evacuation equipment, like the Med Sled, that can easily be stored and used to evacuate people can minimize the risk of having to leave someone behind.
- After-action reviews
While it is a common practice to conduct after action reviews following a drill, seeking feedback from beyond the drill facilitators may elicit more comprehensive feedback. Holding an open session for employees or sending a post-drill survey can reveal unknown needs.
Go beyond a one-way review
The companies with the strongest safety culture are those that have employees that truly understand their individual responsibility when it comes to safety. As EHS professionals, you know that safety is owned by all and that can be a difficult philosophy for your colleagues to buy into when convenience or the odds of an incident are factored in. There are four areas that you can engage your workforce deeper:
1. Inclusive dialogue: Facilitate structured discussions that empower employees to share their experiences. This inclusive approach not only enhances the plan’s effectiveness but also fosters a culture of safety and inclusivity.
2. Tailored adjustments: Once you engage with employees who may need additional support during an evacuation, you can make targeted updates to your plan, including designated alternative routes or evacuation aides to assist during emergencies.
3. Feedback loops: After every drill, collect feedback from participants. Identify what worked and what didn’t, then adjust the procedures accordingly. This continuous improvement cycle ensures your evacuation plans evolve with your workforce’s needs.
4. Invest in technology and equipment: Most companies likely don’t have the capital or infrastructure that could accommodate a major renovation to widen hallways and replace stairs with ramps. Instead, look at investing in evacuation chairs or Med Sleds® that are not only affordable, collapsable, and can be stored throughout the office but are easy for one to two people to easily manage and support an evacuation. They are designed to allow for two people to safely evacuate a non-ambulatory person. Having the right type and quantity of equipment will help address the hidden gap in your evacuation plan.
Checklist for inclusive evacuations
Ready to see if your evacuation plan accounts for an inclusive evacuation that accounts for an aging workforce? Here are five steps to take to evaluate your plan:
- Hold open forums and encourage employees to reach out with any additional support they may need
- Stock accessible evacuation devices, like a Med Sled or evacuation chair, on each floor of your building. Increase evacuation devices based on the location of employees that may need more assistance
- Train designated aides and conduct inclusive drills
- Use visual and auditory alarm systems to best support all employees during an emergency
- Establish feedback and improvement loops to continue refining your emergency evacuation preparedness plan
With nearly one in four employees soon to be over the age of 55 years old, companies need to ensure that they are accounting for an employee population that may need more support during an emergency. Now is the time to act and identify the number of employees that would need assistance evacuating your building safely or handling any other scenarios in your emergency preparedness plans. Adjust your plans accordingly to ensure the best possible outcome for your workforce.
With deep expertise in evacuation solutions and training, Rob Marshall has been pivotal in helping organizations prepare their teams for evacuation readiness. As Director of Sales at Ethos Preparedness, he leads the Region Manager Team, and works directly with hospitals, corporations and other organizations in the U.S. Marshall also works with Ethos’ International distributor network that has a presence in over 25 countries.
Ethos Preparedness is a leading provider of emergency preparedness solutions, specializing in training, planning, and equipment to ensure organizations are ready for any crisis. Learn more at www.ethospreparedness.com.