Disabled evacuation and fire safety across the UK and Ireland.
Often overlooked when undertaking a review of fire safety is the consideration of how disabled people will be evacuated in the event of a fire.
Arrangements for the evacuation of disabled people should be undertaken as part of the overall fire strategy and a business must not rely on the intervention of the Fire and Rescue Service to assist with any evacuation..
An evacuation plan for disabled people is a PEEP: (A Personal Emergency Egress Plan or Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan). This describes how disabled people will be evacuated from all parts of a building taking into account any special circumstances relevant to their disability and the building. When undertaking a review of disabled evacuation in a fire, care should also be taken to make arrangements for individuals with “hidden impairments” such as a heart condition and how they may require assistance in an emergency.
Staff training in respect of disabled evacuation is vital to ensure that a swift and efficient evacuation is undertaken. Once staff have been trained a disabled evacuation plan must be clearly communicated to everyone within the organisation.
Provision of a fully integrated PEEP system will improve safety for everyone using the building whilst identifying any weaknesses in any existing evacuation plans.
If you require fire safety disabled evacuation advice or training please contact us.