Promoting Safe Egress and Evacuation for People with Disabilities Shane Hogan Senior Standards Officer 13 th November 2008

A practical tool for facilities managers, health and safety personnel and human resources professionals To develop an understanding of egress issues that particularly effect people with disabilities To develop ability to identify egress features that are designed into buildings To develop ability to prepare risk assessments and emergency evacuation plans; To give practical guidance on providing safe egress; To identify good practice in safe egress

Egress Issues for People with disabilities Mobility impairment, where the range or speed of movement is affected to varying degrees; Sensory impairment, where the ability to gather information through the senses such as sight or hearing is affected; Cognitive or mental health impairment, where the capacity to process information and react appropriately is affected; and Hidden disabilities, where the disability is not physically apparent, but the stress of an emergency situation may trigger the condition, i.e. asthma or heart problems.

Fire Exits – Poor egress

Fire exits – Poor Egress

Key Steps of Egress Management process Initial review Egress policy Planning for egress Implementing your egress plan Measuring performance of your egress plan Reviewing performance of your egress plan

Key Elements of Egress management process… Initial review of user needs, organisational practice and policies Developing an Egress Policy for your organisation Planning for Egress Implementing your Egress Plan Measuring performance of Your Egress Plan Reviewing Performance of Your Egress Plan

Detailed topics include Alarm systems –Strobe lighting –Vibrating alerts Wayfinding –Directional sound –Handrails –Photo-luminescent strips –Signage – LED illuminated Evacuation lifts Non-evacuation lifts Evacuation chairs Specific building types Risk assessment checklist

Fire Exits – Poor position of signage Green ‘Running Man’ sign

Refuge areas Consider capacity issues –numbers of building users, –need for re-entry to building for ‘buddy’ staff Fire resisting structure (30 minutes) Direct access to protected stairwell Two-way communications system Clear signage (including tactile & Braille) Clear identification of location (e.g. stairwell A level 3) Advise management on limitations and restrictions Evacuation responsibility does not end at refuge area

Refuge areas – coding issues

Refuge areas - Communications Sequence Numbers Translation Table

Case Study – World Trade Center John Abruzzo, Accountant Located on 69 th floor Wheelchair user 1993 evacuation – 6 hours 2001 evacuation – 2.5 hours, using evac chair, emergency lighting and improved ventilation

Key lessons Effective planning for egress requires a structured process with continuous improvement Consultation and individual engagement with employees with disabilities are essential Use a PEEP (Personal Emergency Egress Plan) to agree and document individual plans The building operator is responsible for complete evacuation of the building (not just to the refuge areas) For new build or major renovation projects, an evacuation lift provides an ideal solution to vertical movement Some powered evacuation chairs eliminate the need to transfer wheelchair user out of own wheelchair

For more information for ‘Means of Escape for Disabled People’