What does the law say?

As outlined in the Regulatory Form Order for Fire Safety 2005, it is no longer the responsibility of the Fire Service to facilitate the evacuation of non-domestic premises. It is the designated ‘responsible person’ (the person having control of the building, or a degree of control, like landlords and business owners) who will ensure that everyone is evacuated quickly and safely in an emergency.

Evacuation procedures should be established with designated and trained staff to assist those in need during the evacuation process. These employees must undergo practical training in the use and operation of any evacuation equipment that may need to be utilised. It is not enough to ensure that your building is accessible – you also have to ensure it can be exited safely by all building occupants in an emergency.

Emergency evacuation for everyone

Shifting demographics and social awareness of issues, such as disability, are bringing greater diversity into the modern workforce. Accessibility is something that every organisation must consider. That brings specific implications for those responsible for health and safety practices within a building.

More people with physical impairments are now seeking employment opportunities. This is driven by the government encouraging both employers and employees to find roles where disabilities may no longer be a barrier to earning. Another area that is shifting the demographic of today’s workforce is the increased age of the employee.

Many people want to carry on working and many, for financial reasons, need to so companies are now actively courting older workers. Older workers are often praised for their reliability, experience and loyalty and for their ‘soft skills’ in areas such as customer service.

The building design is adapted to incorporate ramp access, wider doorways for wheelchair access and passenger lifts – all of which provide valid solutions for accessibility. They don’t necessarily, however, look at how people can exit a building in an emergency.

Using the necessary equipment to evacuate buildings safely

• The decision to install assistive equipment, such as Evac+Chairs, needs to be taken on a building-by-building basis to fit the requirements of the building and personnel. Under the Equality Act 2010, a ‘disabled person’ is defined as someone with a physical or mental impairment which has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ effect on their ability to do normal daily activities such as descending stairs unaided.

• Equally, there are some medical conditions that, while they do not qualify as disabilities, can impede mobility. With an older workforce, an inevitable amount will suffer from medical conditions like osteoarthritis and arthritis that will affect their mobility. While these and other age-related conditions could impact someone’s physical capabilities in terms of mobility, they certainly shouldn’t be considered a bar to employment on health and safety grounds.

• Evacuating high-rise buildings can present a number of challenges, including the distance needed to travel down the stairs to exit the building. Ensuring you are covered for all eventualities is crucial in delivering a successful evacuation.

• Evacuation chairs have proved to be the most efficient and user-friendly, enabling the operator and passenger to safely exit the building. Due to more than one person possibly needing assistance, other types of evacuation products may be required such as slide sheets, rescue mats, evacuation chairs or stretchers. All evacuation aids need to be in a designated refuge point which is specified in the building’s fire strategy. Each fire exit has to accommodate the able-bodied and mobility-impaired therefore all equipment has to be readily available and accessible at the refuge point.

• Evac+Chairs offers a simple and effective solution to ensure a safe exit from work for an increasingly diverse workforce. Even though many assume that their office’s fire alarm is unlikely to ever go off – unless it is an evacuation drill – it is more likely than many think that the fire alarm will ring at some point in their work life. Therefore, it is essential that these precautions are taken into account when installing safety escape routes in the workplace for those who are disabled.