FEATURE
PREPARING FOR ALL EVENTUALITIES
Evacuation plans should go beyond just planning for a fire. There are numerous factors to consider which can influence the effectiveness of your emergency procedure, explains Evac+Chair.
Every public building, irrespective of its size, location or purpose, should have an evacuation plan in place to ensure the safety of its occupants and visitors, should an emergency situation arise. Although the risk of fire is evident in every building, evacuation plans should go beyond this. Alongside fire, improved technology, extreme weather, greater inclusivity, changes in building design and even increased risk of terrorism all play a role in how to plan for an emergency.
CHANGING REGULATIONS If you’re a building owner, landlord, employer, health
and safety manager or facilities manager, you are responsible for ensuring the safety of everyone within your building in the event of an emergency.
However, your legal obligations surrounding health and safety and fire safety will become more stringent, as the government prepares to implement its proposed reforms to the building safety regulatory system. The regulations have been under intense scrutiny for some time, following the Grenfell fire in 2017 and Hackitt’s subsequent, Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety.
Against this backdrop, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is also looking to appoint a new regulatory body to ensure any changes are rigorously enforced throughout the industry.
The proposed changes and strengthened implementation of regulations only heighten the need for improved planning, to ensure every occupant is safe in the event of an emergency. This includes planning carefully for every risk scenario.
IMPROVED TECHNOLOGY As technology continues to evolve, workplace
communications are shifting. We’re now able to communicate effectively from almost any location. This makes it possible for businesses to exercise more flexible and remote working practices and utilise ‘hot- desking’ or co-working spaces to reduce overhead costs. As a result, 68% of businesses in the UK now have a flexible working policy in place for their staff.
However, with this improved flexibility comes new risks. As more people work remotely, it can be difficult for those responsible to immediately access an accurate headcount of every person who is on site. That headcount is a crucial part of safe evacuation planning.
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Security systems, such as access control, or electronic sign in/out protocols, can help to achieve this accurate headcount. However, they should be rigorously controlled and regularly monitored to ensure they remain effective. This includes identifying and eliminating any opportunities to circumvent the system, for example, by leaving via fire exits or doors which are propped open.
An improved access control system can also record the location of any person in the building with mobility impairments, this can help those trained to assist to help quickly in an emergency.
EXTREME WEATHER Severe weather such as flooding or snow can bring
about different evacuation risks as your usual escape route could be compromised or inaccessible. It’s important to identify the limitations of your emergency procedures so that, in these situations, you are able to plan for an alternative route to safety for every occupant within your building.
In the case of flooding, there may be a requirement for upwards (ascending) evacuation to a designated refuge area, where building occupants and visitors can safely wait for additional assistance, such as the emergency services, to arrive. In this scenario, you should plan carefully to ensure those with mobility impairments can access these refuge areas safely. Ensuring you have the appropriate emergency equipment and team members trained in its safe use is essential.
GREATER INCLUSIVITY Since the introduction of the Equalities Act (2010),
public buildings and workplaces have been required to be equally accessible to every person, irrespective of their ability. As a result, an estimated 4.2 million people with a disability are currently in employment in the UK, a number which has continued to rise over recent years. This rising number of employees with mobility, hearing and visual impairments brings about new evacuation risks and considerations for those responsible.
While we continue to make our buildings more accessible to more people, it’s essential we’re implementing people-centred evacuation planning where necessary to ensure their safe evacuation in the event of an emergency. An important part of this is creating a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP)
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