In brief
Every workplace must prepare an emergency plan, set up firefighting, rescue, protection and first aid teams, and hold a drill at least once a year. The number of support staff for each team is at least one person per up to 30 employees in very hazardous, 40 in hazardous and 50 in less hazardous workplaces, with these threshold values and their multiples included. The plan is renewed every 2/4/6 years and after significant changes; the first aider certificate refresher is taken in the 3 months before expiry.
Why is an emergency plan mandatory, and for whom?
Art. 11 of Law No. 6331 obliges the employer to identify possible emergencies in advance, take preventive and limiting measures, prepare emergency plans, appoint a sufficient number of trained people and have training and drills carried out. The details are set out in the Regulation on Emergencies in Workplaces. The obligation is independent of headcount and hazard class: a three-person office and a thousand-person factory both prepare a plan; only the scope and the size of the teams differ.
Emergency scenarios are not limited to fire. Earthquake, chemical leak, explosion, flooding, accidents with multiple casualties and hazards from neighbouring facilities are assessed according to the location of the workplace. In Bursa's OIZs (organised industrial zones), a facility on the next plot with an LPG tank or paint line is an "external hazard" for your plan. The plan is considered together with the risk assessment: the fire, explosion or chemical risks identified in the risk assessment are direct inputs to the scenarios.
The four teams and their duties
Art. 11 of the Regulation provides for four teams. Their duties are defined in the Regulation as follows:
| Team | Duty (Art. 11/2) | Whom to choose? |
|---|---|---|
| Firefighting | Responding immediately to a fire, bringing it under control if possible, preventing it from spreading and carrying out firefighting | Employees who have used extinguishers and fire hose cabinets in practice and know the site well |
| Rescue | Search and rescue for employees, visitors and others after an emergency | Employees who know the building layout, enclosed spaces and blind spots |
| Protection | Preventing panic and disorder, coordination between teams and roll call, informing external response teams when necessary | Calm people whose word is respected and who can manage the assembly point |
| First aid | First aid for those affected by the emergency | Employees with a valid first aider certificate |
The following rules also apply when setting up teams:
- A team leader is designated for each team (Art. 11/6).
- The shift pattern is taken into account when designating support staff and any deputies (Art. 11/8). In textile or automotive supplier plants working three shifts, the teams must be complete on every shift; making appointments only from the day shift is a common deficiency.
- The list of support staff is posted in a visible place (Art. 11/9); a new appointment is made to replace a member who leaves or changes workplace (Art. 11/10).
How is the number of support staff calculated?
For each of the firefighting, rescue and protection teams, at least the following number of support staff is appointed according to hazard class (Art. 11/3). The same table also shows first aider ratios:
| Hazard class | Support staff (per team) | First aiders |
|---|---|---|
| Very hazardous | At least 1 per up to 30 employees | 1 per up to 10 employees |
| Hazardous | At least 1 per up to 40 employees | 1 per up to 15 employees |
| Less hazardous | At least 1 per up to 50 employees | 1 per 20 employees |
The Regulation states explicitly how threshold values are counted: 30, 40 and 50 and their multiples are included in the appointment. So in a very hazardous workplace with 30 employees, 1 person per team is enough; with the 31st employee the number rises to 2. With 60 employees 2 people are needed, with 61 employees 3. Practical formula: divide the headcount by the divisor for the class and round the result up.
| Example workplace | Calculation | Per team | Total for three teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal plating workshop with 30 employees (very hazardous) | 30 ÷ 30 = 1 | 1 | 3 |
| The same workshop with 31 employees | 31 ÷ 30 = 1.03 → 2 | 2 | 6 |
| Furniture workshop with 85 employees (hazardous) | 85 ÷ 40 = 2.1 → 3 | 3 | 9 |
| Garment workshop with 120 employees (less hazardous) | 120 ÷ 50 = 2.4 → 3 | 3 | 9 |
| Turning workshop with 8 employees (hazardous) | Fewer than 10 employees rule | – | 1 person |
The "Total for three teams" column assumes that the teams are made up of different people. With shift work, plan this number separately for each shift.
You can see your own figures within seconds with the OHS obligations calculator.
Number of first aiders and certificate validity
The first aid team is formed according to the principles of the First Aid Regulation (Regulation on Emergencies, Art. 11/5). The ratios are in the table above. Examples: in a hazardous workplace with 85 employees, 85 ÷ 15 = 5.7 → 6 first aiders; in a less hazardous workplace with 120 employees, 120 ÷ 20 = 6 first aiders; in a very hazardous workshop with 31 employees, 31 ÷ 10 = 3.1 → 4 first aiders. With shift work, distribute them so that there are enough first aiders on every shift.
The first aider certificate is valid for 3 years. Under the amendment of 27.12.2025, the refresher training must be taken within the 3 months before the certificate expires. The previous text set the refresher period as the 3 months after expiry; those who keep their calendar by the old habit need to bring their dates forward.
Example: an employee whose certificate expires on 15 March 2027 must complete the refresher training between 15 December 2026 and 15 March 2027. Keep expiry dates in a list and set a reminder at least one month in advance; also check that the training is taken from a centre authorised to provide first aid training.
Plan contents and the evacuation layout plan
As a minimum, the plan contains (Arts. 10 and 12):
- The emergencies identified and the preventive and limiting measures against them
- Warning, search and rescue, evacuation, communication, first aid and firefighting methods
- The evacuation plan: escape routes, assembly points, locations of emergency equipment and first aid supplies, layout plan
- Contact details of those responsible and the emergency contact numbers of relevant national and local bodies
- Areas with chemical, flammable or explosion risks; electricity and gas shut-off points
After evacuation, the necessary checks, including a roll call, are carried out (Art. 10/2). Escorts for elderly, disabled and pregnant employees and for children in any crèche are designated in advance (Art. 10/4).
A good layout plan shows a "you are here" mark, escape directions by floor, the locations of extinguishers, fire hose cabinets and first aid cabinets, electricity and gas shut-off points and the assembly point. The evacuation plan is posted visibly at building entrances and exits and on each floor, at a height suited to employees' eye level (Art. 12/3). Choose an assembly point away from vehicle traffic and building facades; the middle of the dispatch yard is not a good assembly point.
The deficiencies we see most often on site are: the layout plan showing the building's old layout, escape routes narrowed by pallets or raw materials, emergency exit doors kept locked outside shift hours, the names of employees who have left remaining on the contact list, and electricity and gas shut-off points known only to the maintenance team. None of these deficiencies requires new investment; they are resolved with a regular site walk and a review after each drill.
Drills: at least once a year, and the drill form
In workplaces other than mines, a drill is held at least once a year (Art. 13/2). For each drill, a drill form is prepared containing the date, the deficiencies observed and the arrangements to be made in response; a sample is in Annex 2 of the Regulation (Art. 13/1). The plan is reviewed in light of the shortcomings revealed by the drill (Art. 13/3). In business centres with more than one workplace, drills are held under the coordination of the management (Art. 13/4).
For a drill that works:
- Choose the scenario from the risk assessment: fire in the paint store, an earthquake on the night shift, a chemical spill and so on.
- Measure times: the alarm, the building emptying and the roll call being completed.
- Place separate observers at doors, stairs and the assembly point.
- Write deficiencies on the form and give each one an owner and a date.
- Choose a different scenario and a different shift each year.
In fire scenarios, it makes a difference if teams have actually used an extinguisher. We provide theoretical and practical training in our fire training service. The special training of firefighting, rescue and protection teams can be given by the workplace's OHS specialist or workplace physician; bodies such as AFAD (the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority), municipalities and fire brigades can also provide this training. Training is documented and signed by the employer and the trainers (Art. 15/3).
When is the plan renewed?
| Hazard class | Plan renewed at least | Drill |
|---|---|---|
| Very hazardous | Every 2 years | At least once a year |
| Hazardous | Every 4 years | At least once a year |
| Less hazardous | Every 6 years | At least once a year |
Regardless of the period, the plan is renewed in full or in part when there is a change at the workplace or in its immediate surroundings that would affect the identified emergencies or create new ones (Art. 14/1). A new building or floor, a layout change, a new chemical storage area or a new facility set up next to you are typical examples. When headcount rises and the number of support staff or first aiders changes, update the appointment list as well.
For breaches of emergency obligations, the 2026 base administrative fine is 22,194 TL per obligation, and the same amount applies for each month the breach continues. You can use the OHS renewal calendar to track plan, drill and first aid certificate dates together. To prepare the plan on site with your teams, see our emergency plan service.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are threshold values counted in the support staff calculation?
The Regulation states that 30, 40 and 50 and their multiples are included. In a hazardous workplace with 40 employees, 1 person per team is enough; with the 41st employee the number rises to 2. Simply divide the headcount by the divisor for the class and round the result up.
We have fewer than 10 employees; how many support staff do we need?
At least one suitably equipped and specially trained employee is enough for all of the firefighting, rescue and protection teams and for contact with the authorities. The number of first aiders is determined separately under the First Aid Regulation.
When should we renew the first aider certificate?
The certificate is valid for 3 years and, since the 27.12.2025 amendment, the refresher training must be taken within the 3 months before expiry. Put expiry dates in the calendar and set a reminder at least one month in advance.
What should the drill form contain?
Under the Regulation, the form contains the date of the drill, the deficiencies observed and the arrangements to be made in response; a sample is in Annex 2 of the Regulation. Keeping the form together with the emergency plan and the support staff list makes both the review of the plan and inspections easier.
What happens if there is more than one workplace in the same building or site?
Each employer prepares its own plan, but in places with more than one workplace, such as business centres, drills are held under the coordination of the management. Law No. 6331 also assigns OHS coordination in business centres, office blocks and industrial estates to the management. Plan shared escape routes, the assembly point and the alarm system together with neighbouring workplaces.
An emergency plan that really works on site, with scenarios, support teams, evacuation diagrams and an annual drill.
Bursa SİSTEMER OSGB Technical Team — written from the field experience of our OHS specialists and workplace physicians. Legal information is valid as of the publication/update date; contact us for an assessment specific to your business.