An office can also suffer a fire, a power cut, a bomb threat, a lift breakdown or a colleague who faints. Being prepared saves precious seconds. This lesson builds on the basic course, which already covers fire prevention and first aid, and applies it to the office.
What the employer must do
Article 20 of Ley 31/1995 requires the employer to:
- analyse possible emergency situations;
- adopt the necessary measures for first aid, firefighting and evacuation;
- designate the people who will apply them, who must have training, be sufficient in number and have suitable equipment;
- organise, if needed, relations with external emergency services.
Article 21 recognises that in the face of a serious and imminent risk that cannot be avoided, you may stop your activity and, if necessary, leave the workplace immediately.
What to do in an evacuation
- Stay calm and do not run.
- Follow the instructions of the designated staff and the evacuation signs.
- Do not use the lifts.
- Leave by the evacuation routes, which must always be clear.
- Do not go back for your belongings.
- Help people who need it, if you can do so without risk.
- Go to the assembly point and wait there. Do not leave without telling anyone you are safe.
Know in advance the nearest exit, an alternative and the assembly point. If there are drills, take them seriously.
First aid: the PAS rule
If you witness an accident or someone feels unwell, follow the PAS order:
- P for protect (proteger in Spanish): make sure the place is safe for you and for the person affected.
- A for alert (alertar): call 112 and notify the designated first aid staff.
- S for assist (socorrer): care for the person until help arrives, without doing more than you know how to do.
Do not move an injured person unless there is immediate danger. Do not give them anything to drink or eat if they are unconscious.
Know the location of the first aid kit. Real Decreto 486/1997 requires at least a portable first aid kit and, with more than 50 people, a first aid room.
Accidents and remote work
If you are injured during work, tell your employer as soon as possible, including if you work at home. Reporting it allows the incident to be investigated and the workstation to be improved. In a serious medical emergency, call 112 first.
If you work remotely, keep 112 and your employer's contact details to hand so you can report an incident.
Three habits that help
- Look at the evacuation plan for your floor on your first day and when you change desks.
- Keep clear the exits, corridors and access to the first aid kit and extinguishers. Do not use them to store boxes.
- Report it if an emergency exit is blocked, a sign cannot be seen or an extinguisher is missing. It is a duty under article 29 and it can save lives.
What still belongs to the employer
This course does not make you a designated first aid or evacuation person. The employer must inform you of its emergency plan, train those who have to act and check that it works. If you do not know the emergency measures of your workplace, ask: you have the right to receive that information.