Evacuating High-Rise Construction

A building under construction has no finished fire doors, sprinklers or alarms, and stairs may be incomplete. Getting hundreds of workers down many floors takes a clear plan that everyone has practiced.

• Construction
• Supervisors
• All Workers

Why it is harder

• Stairs may be open, unfinished or blocked by materials. Handrails and lighting may be missing.
• Hoists and elevators cannot be used in a fire and may be needed by rescuers.
• Crews are spread out on many floors, wearing hearing protection and working with noisy tools.
• Fire protection systems, including standpipes, may not yet be working.
• Workers may be on scaffolds, in lifts or at edges.

What a good plan includes

• A written emergency action plan with alarms, routes, assembly points and roles. See Emergency Action Plans
• An alarm that every worker can hear or see on every floor, such as horns, strobes, radios or air horns
• At least two ways out from each floor where possible, kept clear. The fire protection rules require stairs to be usable as the building rises. See Exit Routes
• Exit signs or marked routes, lighting in stairs and no stored materials in stairwells
• Floor wardens or marshals who sweep their floors and report
• Assembly points away from the building and from fire trucks, with a headcount. See Evacuation Headcounts
• A way to account for subcontractors and visitors, such as sign-in logs or tags
• A plan for workers who cannot use stairs quickly because of disability or injury
• Drills with all crews and trades, at least a few times a year

During an evacuation

1. Stop work, shut off hot work and equipment if safe to do so.
2. Leave by the nearest safe stairs. Do not use hoists or elevators unless instructed.
3. Walk, stay to the right and hold handrails. Help others who need assistance.
4. Do not stop for tools or belongings.
5. Go to the assembly point and report to your supervisor for the headcount.
6. Do not re-enter until the fire department or incident commander says so.

Tell responders about anyone missing, where they were working, and hazards such as fuel, gas cylinders or open shafts. See Evacuation Headcounts.

Last updated: October 8, 2026