Headcounts & Accountability After Evacuation

Getting everyone out of a building or site is only half the job. Responders need to know quickly whether anyone is still inside, because they may risk their lives to search. A reliable headcount at the muster point makes sure no one is left behind, and no one goes back in to look. Accountability needs a plan, practice and clear roles.

• All Workplaces
• Construction
• Safety Managers

Why accountability matters

• Firefighters and rescuers must decide whether to search for victims. A wrong answer either wastes life-saving time or puts rescuers in danger for nothing.
• In a chaotic evacuation, people go to different exits, drive away or run to help. Without a count, you can’t tell who is missing.
• Workers who think someone is still inside may re-enter, which has killed people.
• On large or busy sites, with many employers, visitors and deliveries, nobody knows who is there without a system.

What OSHA requires

• OSHA’s emergency action plan standard (29 CFR 1910.38) requires a written plan, for employers who must have one, that includes procedures to account for all employees after emergency evacuation has been completed (1910.38(c)(4)), plus escape routes, how to report emergencies, and who does what. See Emergency Action Plans.
• Construction sites must also have a plan, such as one that fits the site’s hazards and the 1926 requirements. See Site Orientation.
• Employers must tell and train workers about the plan, the exits and the meeting place. See Exit Routes.

Building the system

1. Choose muster points. Pick safe, well-marked outdoor spots away from the building or hazard, upwind, and out of the way of emergency vehicles, with clear signs. Choose a backup location in case the first is unsafe. On large sites, use more than one, by area or crew.
2. Assign roles. Name a site emergency coordinator, and wardens or crew leaders who count their people. Name backups for each, since people are sick or away.
3. Keep a current roster. Know who is on site each day: employees, subcontractors, delivery drivers and visitors. Use sign-in sheets, badges, check-in boards, a daily crew list or an app. Update it as people arrive and leave. Keep it somewhere that is accessible in an emergency, such as with the coordinator, in a vehicle or a mobile device.
4. Include everyone: part-timers, night shift, workers on remote areas, and those who work alone. See Working Alone and remote sites.
5. Plan for people who need help: workers with disabilities, injuries or language needs may need assistance. Assign buddies and have a plan. See Multilingual Crews.
6. Decide how to report: how the coordinator will tell responders the result, and how missing people will be described.

During and after the evacuation

• Leave right away by the nearest safe exit, and go directly to the muster point. Don’t stop to collect belongings. Help others on the way if safe.
• Check in at the muster point with your crew leader or warden. Even if you’ve left by car or are going home, tell them. Don’t leave the site without checking in.
• Wardens count their team, compare to the roster, and report to the coordinator: all present, or who is missing.
• The coordinator gathers the reports, and tells the incident commander or the first responders in charge, in person if possible: how many people are accounted for, who may be missing and where they were last seen or likely to be.
• Stay at the muster point until released. Keep clear of the building, hydrants and emergency vehicles.
• Visitors and contractors: account for them too. Their host or escort is responsible for them. See Visitors & Deliveries and PPE for Visitors & Short-Term Workers.

• Don’t go back inside for any reason, even for a coworker, belongings or equipment. Tell responders instead.
• Don’t leave the area without checking in, since that can trigger a risky search.
• Don’t block roads and gates, or park in fire lanes.
• Don’t spread rumors. Pass on information through the coordinator.

Reporting missing people

• Give responders the person’s name, description, where they were last seen and what task they were doing, and the places they might be, such as a basement, roof or trench.
• Say whether they may be injured, trapped or in a confined space, and share information on hazards, such as chemicals or fuel.
• Keep trying to reach them by phone or radio, but don’t send people in to look.
• If someone turns up later, tell the coordinator right away so the search is updated.

Special situations

• Construction sites: crews come and go, equipment is moving and structures are unfinished. Use daily sign-in sheets by employer, and tag-in/tag-out boards at gates or at the lift. High-rise sites need stairwell plans. See high-rise evacuation and Earthquakes at Work.
• Multi-employer sites: each employer is responsible for its own workers, but the controlling contractor coordinates the plan. See Multi-Employer Worksites.
• Large facilities: use areas, departments or floors, each with a warden, and a radio net to the coordinator.
• Shelter-in-place or lockdown: headcounts happen inside, using phones, messages and check-ins. See Shelter in Place and Workplace Violence.
• Remote or traveling workers: keep a way to check on those away from the main site, such as check-in times. See Driving for Work.
• Severe weather and hazardous releases may need different muster points. See Severe Weather.

Practice and improve

• Hold drills at least yearly, and more often for high-risk sites, with different times, shifts and exits blocked. Time the headcount.
• Have visitors, new hires and contractors take part, and include night shifts.
• After each drill or event, ask what went wrong. Were rosters up to date? Did everyone check in? Did the wardens know their roles? Fix problems.
• Train new coordinators and wardens, and review the plan when the workplace or crews change. See Toolbox Talks.

Accountability checklist

• Marked muster points, with a backup location
• A site coordinator and wardens named, with backups
• A current roster and visitor log that can be reached in an emergency
• Everyone knows to check in at the muster point and never to re-enter
• A way to report missing people to responders
• Drills held at least yearly, with improvements made afterward

Last updated: October 4, 2026