Workplace Lockdown Plan
Lockdown plan for external threats — active shooter nearby, dangerous person in area, civil unrest. Different from evacuation. Initiation, communication, lockdown actions by area type, lift-of-lockdown.
When this template is required
Lockdown protects workers during an external human threat (active shooter nearby, dangerous person in vicinity, civil unrest). A hazardous material release outside is the trigger for a shelter-in-place, not a lockdown, and the plan separates the two by name. Different from evacuation — keeps people INSIDE. Plan documents framework.
Why this template
Different from active shooter
Active shooter (Run Hide Fight): internal threat. Lockdown: external threat. Different responses; plan covers lockdown specifically with cross-reference.
Lockdown vs shelter-in-place
Lockdown: external human threat. Shelter-in-place: a hazard in the outside air — a release, plume or smoke. Severe weather is neither: a tornado warning sends people down and inward, and is handled by the site severe weather procedure in the Emergency Action Plan. All three are separated by name in the plan.
Lift-of-lockdown protocol
Criteria for ending: law enforcement confirms threat ended, designated authority issues all-clear, communication to all areas, personnel accountability.
Adjacent facility coordination
Workplaces near schools, government, healthcare may lock down due to adjacent-facility incidents. Plan addresses coordination.
What you receive
- Lockdown Plan (Word .docx)
- Initiation criteria and authority
- Communication procedure (announcement, mass notification)
- Lockdown actions by area type (hold defined separately)
- Communication during lockdown
- Lift-of-lockdown procedure (all-clear)
- Law enforcement coordination
- Difference from Active Shooter (Run Hide Fight)
How you get it
This document is written and reviewed against the standard it cites, and it is ready now. The download link is emailed as soon as your payment clears.
Revisions included — if something about your operation changes what the document should say, reply to the delivery email and we will amend it.
Who buys this
- Workplaces near schools/government buildings
- Office buildings with high-profile occupants
- Healthcare facilities
- Retail with external incident potential
- Public-facing government offices
Frequently asked
Lockdown vs evacuation?
Evacuation: leave building (fire, internal hazard). Lockdown: stay inside (external threat). Opposite responses for different threats. Each workplace needs both with clear decision criteria.
When should we lockdown?
External human threats: active shooter incident in adjacent facility/street, police chase ending nearby, dangerous person reported, civil unrest with violence. Initiated by management or external authority directive. A hazardous release outside is a shelter-in-place rather than a lockdown, and the plan sets out both.
What do workers do during lockdown?
Move from windows/doors; secure doors; stay quiet; lights off; silence phones; account for occupants; await all-clear. Specific procedures vary by area type.
How is this different from active shooter?
Active shooter: shooter is or may be IN the building. Lockdown: threat external. Can transition — external threat entering building converts lockdown to active shooter response.