When the fire alarm sounds at a school, there is no margin for confusion. Unlike most other workplaces, a school evacuation must account for hundreds of children of varying ages and abilities, who depend entirely on the school staff to lead them calmly and efficiently to safety. A school evacuation plan that exists only on paper – never tested, never trained, never improved upon – is not a plan. It is a document waiting to fail at the worst possible moment.
This guide covers what South African schools need to know about evacuation planning: How to develop a genuinely effective school evacuation plan, the role of Evacuation Marshals, and how often drills should be conducted.
At a minimum, a compliant and effective school fire or evacuation plan must include:
A clear alarm protocol How the alarm will be raised, what signal will be used (siren pattern, bell sequence, or PA announcement), and who is authorised to activate it. Many South African schools use a distinctive signal, for example, a specific number of siren sounds, to distinguish an evacuation from other emergency signals such as a lockdown.
Designated evacuation routes for every area of the school Primary and secondary evacuation routes should be clearly mapped and prominently displayed on Evacuation Floor Plans. Routes must account for the reality that a fire may block the primary evacuation route from any given area.
Assembly points Clearly designated, signposted assembly areas. Include two assembly points: Assembly Point A closer to the building and Assembly Point B further away (to be used in the case of an emergency rendering Assembly Point A unsafe, such as a bomb threat).
Roll call procedures A clear system for each class teacher or class representative to confirm that every learner is accounted for at the assembly point, and a clear escalation procedure if any learner is unaccounted for.
Designated roles and responsibilities Formally appointed Evacuation Marshals responsible for leading the evacuation of specific zones or buildings, an overall Evacuation Coordinator (usually the Health and Safety Supervisor), Fire Wardens responsible for extinguishing fires, First Aiders responsible for providing first aid to injured school staff and learners.
Provision for learners and staff requiring assistance Evacuation Marshals must have clear procedures and training equipping them to assist learners or staff with mobility impairments, medical conditions, or other needs that affect their ability to evacuate independently. Similarly, they must be prepared to calmly assist and reassure frightened, panicked children.
Emergency services contact protocol Clear instructions for the person responsible for activating the emergency services, including what information to provide: The school’s exact physical address and nearest intersection, nearby landmarks, the nature and extent of the fire/emergency, etc.
A communication plan How parents will be informed in the event of an emergency evacuation, and how staff will communicate with each other during the emergency. Communication methods may include mobile phones, two-way radios (‘walkie-talkies’), messaging platforms (such as WhatsApp), loudhailers, etc.
Provision for visitors and contractors Procedures to ensure that visitors, contractors, and any non-staff adults on the premises are accounted for during an evacuation. This is why visitor and staff sign-in registers, required at most schools, also serve a critical safety function during an emergency.
A review schedule The plan should be reviewed at least annually, and immediately following any change to the school’s buildings, staffing, or learner population that would affect the evacuation procedures.
Schools should appoint and train one Evacuation Marshal per group of 50 employees and learners. For example, if a school has 20 staff members and 350 learners, the total number to consider is 370. In this scenario, the school should appoint eight Evacuation Marshals.
Evacuation Marshals in a school setting should undergo the same level of accredited training required in other workplaces. Absolute Health Services offers a fully accredited one-day Evacuation Planning course designed to help appointed Evacuation Marshals understand and implement emergency preparedness measures, assist with evacuation drills, and effectively guide staff and learners to safety during a real emergency evacuation. The course includes a blend of theory and hands-on practice, ensuring that Evacuation Marshals have both the knowledge and confidence to carry out their duties effectively.
All workplaces, including schools, are legally required to conduct at least two evacuation drills per year. Best practice for South African schools includes:
Every evacuation drill conducted at a school should be documented in a formal written report. Evacuation drill reports serve two purposes. Firstly, they constitute proof that the school has met its legal obligations to conduct evacuation drills. Secondly, they allow the Health and Safety Team to identify and address any areas needing improvement.
A school evacuation drill report should record:
Absolute Health Services is an accredited provider of emergency preparedness and health and safety training, including Evacuation Planning, Firefighting, First Aid, Health and Safety Representative, Incident Investigation, and more. In addition, we offer a suite of health and safety management services, including the on-site facilitation of evacuation drills.
Whether your school needs to develop an evacuation plan from scratch, train its health and safety team, improve its overall health and safety management system, or conduct a legally compliant evacuation drill, our experienced OHS Practitioners are available to assist.
How often should a school conduct a fire or evacuation drill? Like all workplaces in South Africa, schools are legally required to conduct a minimum of two evacuation drills per year.
What is an Evacuation Marshal’s role in a school? In an emergency evacuation, school Evacuation Marshals are responsible for guiding and directing learners and staff to the correct evacuation routes and assembly point, checking commonly missed areas such as toilets and store rooms, assisting mobility-impaired individuals to evacuation, and assisting the Evacuation Coordinator with roll call.
Who can help a school develop an effective evacuation plan? A qualified OHS practitioner or accredited training provider can develop a site-specific evacuation plan, provide training for the Health and Safety Team, and conduct formal evacuation drills. Absolute Health Services offers these services for all South African workplaces, including schools and universities.
What should a school evacuation plan include? At a minimum, an evacuation plan should include a clear alarm protocol, designated evacuation routes for every area, assembly points, clearly designated team member roles and responsibilities, provision for learners or staff requiring assistance, an emergency services contact protocol, a parent communication plan, and a documented annual review schedule.
Our comprehensive Health and Safety Guide is designed to simplify the process of implementing effective workplace safety practices. It provides clear and practical guidance to help employers, including HR and HSE managers, achieve compliance with regulations and create a safe working environment for their employees.
