Evacuation Chairs are designed to assist people with mobility issues to be safely evacuated from a building in the event of lift failure or fire. They are required not just by people with physical mobility issues, but may be required to assist people with other ailments such as vertigo.
Since the introduction of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order (RRFSO) in October 2006, the Fire and Rescue Service no longer have the responsibility for the evacuation of persons from a building, and whilst they will rescue people to preserve life, businesses must plan for any evacuation and should not rely on their intervention. The RRFSO along with the equality act places a legal duty on the ‘responsible person’ to provide adequate means of escape in the event of a fire for all occupants both mobile and mobility impaired.
Powered Evacuation Chairs
Powered evacuation chairs are an option for assisting with evacuation upstairs or if a person and their chair require evacuation. The use of a powered chair negates the risk to operators from manual handling and reduces the risk of litigation and time off due to injury.
Standard Evacuation Chairs
Standard evacuation chairs are suitable for generic planning of an evacuation, but a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) must be conducted to ensure that an appropriate plan is in place and suitable chair is available to meet an individuals needs.
Training and Servicing
What ever type of chair; powered or manual there is a requirement for the training of staff at regular intervals to remain competent. As a Class 1 Medical Device evacuation chairs must be regularly serviced and maintained to ensure their safe operation in line with the PUWER (Provision of Use of Work Equipment) Regulations.
Our services
Train2Protect can work with you if required, to identify those at special risk, such as the mobility impaired and those with special needs and assist you with the preparation of PEEP’s.
As an independent provider, we are able to advise and procure a suitable chair; powered or manual along with ancillaries. Our experience, has shown that not all chairs are suitable for everyone. We are also very aware that many providers of training and equipment supply seem to think that your legal and moral responsibility stop once you have moved people to a place of safety. We know that this is not the case and will help you to select an appropriate wheelchair or other aids should they be required.
We can also carry out effective evacuation chair training and servicing at your premises on your equipment.
Put simply, Train2Protect can meet all of your evacuation chair requirements, to reduce the risk from fire, make sure people have a safe means of escape in the event of a fire and help you to meet your legal requirements.