COVER STORY ARE YOU PREPARED?
Evac+Chair explores the challenges the mobility impaired face in an emergency, and shows how their evacuation solution can help people in this position.
Occupants of multiple storey buildings put their lives in the hands of other people in the event of a fire. Emergency scenarios can’t be predicted. For a person with mobility impairment, the thought of descending several flights of stairs in a high- rise building can be a very daunting prospect. This is especially true in an emergency evacuation when the lifts are not in use and the only option is to rely on someone else; they are essentially putting their life in someone else’s hands.
DUTY OF CARE When it comes to evacuating a multiple storey building, every company and organisation that provides services to employees or the public needs to be prepared. With this in mind, extra precautions should be taken to accommodate wheelchair users and the mobility impaired, as well as to ensure that the risk level is reduced. Evacuation procedures need to be in place, along with designated staff to assist in the evacuation process, who must undergo practical training in the operation of any equipment used in the process.
It is now the responsibility of the
employer or service provider to evacuate people from a building in an emergency and no longer the role of the fire service to facilitate the safe evacuation of non-domestic premises, as outlined in the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 [FSO]. It is therefore illegal to plan a fire evacuation that relies solely on the fire service being involved.
However the building’s evacuation strategy still needs to be self- contained because of potential outside factors, such as unpredictable traffic delays that can affect fire response times. Employers who neglect proper evacuation measures for employees, visitors or mobility impaired people can be found guilty of failing to provide a duty of care and will face legal proceedings. Health and safety provisions stipulate implementing the necessary certified policies and training in order to comply.
EVACUATION PLANS Pre-planning is essential to ensure that the needs of all employees, visitors or the mobility impaired are identified, and that a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) or a General Emergency Evacuation Plan (GEEP) is devised by the relevant responsible person, to comply with Part 2 Section 8 of the FSO.
The PEEP is tailor-made to secure the safety of the named individual(s) in the event of a building evacuation. It will explain the evacuation method, detail the escape routes, identify those who will assist in carrying out the evacuation and training or practice needs, and also detail the refuge areas where mobility impaired people can await assistance. This plan should be tested and used during regular evacuation drills to ensure that all staff involved are aware of the procedures. They should receive a copy of the PEEP and a copy of the document should also be filed.
However, when planning for an emergency in a public access building
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where mobility impaired or disabled people have total access, a PEEP is not sufficient and the responsible person needs to devise a GEEP. This covers the same points as a PEEP, but must be robust as is practical in order to accommodate everybody in any potential situation.
The time required to safely evacuate a small building that is not a high-rise would not normally be an issue due to passive fire protection. However, high-rise buildings can present a number of challenges, the most obvious being the potential distance to be covered to travel down the stairs in order to exit the building. These buildings set themselves apart from others that have a single staircase, due to the time it takes to evacuate and the time required to do so smoothly and effectively. The standard fire protection provided in a high-rise building can allow the responsible person 30 to 60 minutes to safely evacuate the people under their care.
BESPOKE EQUIPMENT All over the world evacuation chairs have proved to be the most effective and user friendly method, enabling the operator and passenger to safely exit the building. Due to the potential number of people requiring assistance, the correct type of equipment and quantity is paramount and is required by law.
Such products range from slide sheets and slide pads to evacuation chairs or stretchers. All evacuation aids need to be located in each designated refuge point, as specified in the buildings fire strategy. Each fire escape has to accommodate both able-bodied and mobility impaired people, so all equipment has to be readily available and easily accessible at each refuge point.
WHAT IS REQUIRED? In order to comply, the responsible person should obtain professional advice to establish what exactly is
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