Emergency planning is not just a document kept in a folder. It is about making sure staff know what to do, who is in charge and how people can leave safely when something goes wrong. For many workplaces, AS 3745 provides the framework used to develop emergency procedures, train staff and prepare for evacuations. This is relevant to offices, warehouses, retail sites, schools, health services, aged care facilities, disability services and multi-tenant buildings across NSW.
At DisasterGuard, we help organisations create practical emergency arrangements that reflect their site, staff, visitors and likely risks.
What Is AS 3745?
AS 3745 is the Australian Standard commonly used for planning and managing emergencies in facilities. It guides organisations on how to prepare for events such as fire, smoke, gas leaks, medical emergencies, threats, severe weather and evacuations. It covers areas such as emergency planning, emergency control organisations, evacuation procedures, training, exercises and evacuation diagrams. The aim is to give people clear direction during an emergency, rather than leaving staff to make decisions without a plan.
What should an emergency plan include?
A useful emergency management plan should reflect the actual conditions at your site. It should identify likely hazards, available emergency equipment, evacuation routes, assembly areas and emergency contacts. It should also explain how staff will respond if normal access, power, communications or essential services are disrupted.
The plan needs to set out who takes control during an emergency and what each person is expected to do. This may include chief wardens, wardens, first aid officers, security staff, facilities staff or managers. The structure should match the size and needs of your workplace.
Emergency control organisations and wardens
An Emergency Control Organisation, often called an ECO, is the group of people responsible for managing an emergency response at a site. Wardens may need to help direct people to exits, check areas where safe to do so, communicate with emergency services and manage assembly areas. Their responsibilities need to be clear before an incident occurs. Staff should also know who their wardens are and how to identify them.
A plan is much easier to use when staff have practised their roles and understand the building.
Evacuation diagrams and procedures
Evacuation diagrams should be specific to the area where they are displayed. They need to show the current location, exits, travel paths, emergency equipment, assembly areas and relevant emergency contact details. They should be easy to read and placed where people can see them.
Your procedures should also address people who may need extra support during an evacuation. This may include visitors, contractors, people with disability, older people, children or staff with temporary injuries. For some sites, this may require Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans or other individual support arrangements.
Training and practical exercises
Emergency planning is not complete once the document has been written. Staff need induction training, regular refreshers and opportunities to practise key actions. A drill or exercise can identify issues that are not obvious on paper, such as blocked exits, unclear roles, poor communication or problems at the assembly area. After each exercise or incident, review what worked and what needs to change. Small improvements after a drill can prevent larger problems during a real emergency.
Why site-specific planning matters in NSW
A generic template can be a useful starting point, but it cannot account for your building, workforce, visitors or local risks. A warehouse, childcare centre, NDIS group home and office building will all need different arrangements. The same applies to sites exposed to bushfire, flooding, storms, isolation or limited access. NSW businesses may also need to manage more than a building evacuation. Bushfires, floods, severe storms, road closures, power outages and telecommunications failures can affect staff, customers, suppliers and critical services. Your emergency planning should reflect how your site actually operates and link with business continuity arrangements where needed. This helps your organisation maintain essential services or recover sooner after a disruption.
Contact DisasterGuard
DisasterGuard supports organisations across NSW with practical emergency planning services, including emergency management plans, emergency procedures, evacuation diagrams, staff response guides, warden training, drills and post-exercise reviews.
We focus on clear plans that staff can use when it matters.
Contact DisasterGuard today to discuss emergency planning support for your workplace.