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this keeps coming up so I will provide some quick notes which may be useful to others too.... there are two separate issues here: 1. the buildings - each one should have clear plans about how any person (including people with mobility impairments) might escape from them. e.g. how would the ambulant and less ambulant people evacuate if the lifts are not usable in an emergency? e.g. are there any basement areas with no level egress (might need a stair-climbing device). the building owners should plan for these as GENERAL needs not related to any specific individual, up to and including buying appropriate equipment for use by a member of the general public who just happens to be visiting and to have a mobility impairment. this has the addded advantage of allowing people to plan for what they will do if the lifts stop working AFTER someone who needs assistance with stairs has gone upstairs or even downstairs... The FIRST choice should always be to relocate the class or other activity to a more accessible room if possible. If it is not possible then plan for emergency egress. 2. your staff and students - where an INDIVIDUAL staff member or student is known to the HEI and known to have a relevant impairment, then they should be considered for a PEEP. [Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan] For example: 1. most people with visual impairments don't need a PEEP, they just need some extra training to ensure they know at least two emergency routes out of any building they will be using on a regular basis. 2. many people with mobility impairments (including some wheelchair users) are either ambulant or can walk in an emergency and do not need help to manage the stairs, they are just slower than average. they really only need a "two stage evacuation plan" which might mean a PEEP, or you could write it into the general policy. A 2 stage evac plan = ( a) when bell goes evacuate as far as a safe refuge (usually near a stairwell), ask others to inform the muster point that you are on your way and wait for other people to clear your floor (b) once the way is clear, make your way down as quickly as you are able to manage safely and ensure that you report to the muster point that you are out safe. 3. A small minority of people, who will usually be powerchair users, cannot evacuate without assistance. these are the people who must have a PEEP which identifies WHO will assist them and WHAT EQUIPMENT has been provided to assist. the details of the PEEP depend on the risk assessment of the person and the exact situation but for example: Assistant only PEEP (e.g. for someone who just needs an arm to help steady them to walk downstairs): ( c) when bell goes, evacuate as far as a safe refuge (usually near a stairwell), ask others to inform the muster point that you are on your way and wait for other people to clear your floor (d) the ASSISTANT hears the bell and also heads straight for the safe refuge place, the disabled person and assistant meet at the refuge (and there should be some form of communication device there in case the assistant does not appear and the disabled person needs to call for help). (e) once the way is clear, disabled person and assistant make their way down as quickly as they are able to manage safely and ensure that they report to the muster point that they are out safe. PEEP for ASSISTANT(S) plus EQUIPMENT (e.g. for someone who cannot get out of their powerchair and needs the chair and person carried down the stairs using a specialised form of evac platform or who needs to transfer to an evac chair): (f) when bell goes, evacuate as far as a safe refuge (usually near a stairwell), ask others to inform the muster point that you are on your way and wait for other people to clear your floor (g) the ASSISTANT(S) hears the bell and also heads straight for the safe refuge place, the disabled person and assistant meet at the refuge (and there should be some form of communication device there in case the assistant does not appear and the disabled person needs to call for help). Any equipment which has been identitified as needed for the individual's evacuation should be stored in or near the refuge place. (h) use the time whilst others are clearing out to get ready to use the equipment for exit (e.g. either transfer into an evac chair or move powerchair onto the evac platform) (j) once the way is clear, disabled person and assistant(s) make their way down using the equipment as quickly as they are able to manage safely and ensure that they report to the muster point that they are out safe. NOTE: even if you have evac standard lifts, the person still needs a PEEP and assistants. PLEASE never allow anyone to try and make disabled person to feel that they are a "fire hazard" - the problem is poor building design and bad planning, not the person! One of these days I will get around to finishing the technical briefing on this I promised to NADP! regards, Deb Deb Viney Diversity Advisor, SOAS 2009/3/12 Sanchia Alasia <[log in to unmask]> > How does you university address the issue of Fire risk Assessment of its > buildings. > > To properly address the means of escape and other fire safety issues the > health and safety team want to know how many disabled persons could be > working in each building and the nature of their disability. Not in any > great detail but the nature of the disability in order to assess fire safety > issues with regards to alerting them of a fire to safe > evacuation. > > The College has a legal obligation under the Regulatory reform (Fire > Safety) Order 2005 to put in place general fire precautions to ensure the > safety of their employees and other relevant persons. > > > Persons who are not able to evacuate as quickly or easily as other > > occupants need to have Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPS) > > designed for them so that in an emergency they are able to evacuate in > > safety. Staff too have an obligation under the Health and Safety at Work > Act and the Regulatory reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 to inform their > employers of any reasons that may affect their ability to comply with the > afore mentioned legislation. > > > This is an on going process and affects all buildings occupied by our > university. It would therefore be beneficial if we could have > > regular dialogue rregarding disabled employees and therefore keep abreast > > of the issues regarding fire safety. > -- > Sanchia Alasia > Employee Relations Officer (Diversity and Engagement) > > T: 020 7882 5585 > F: 020 8983 3440 > > > Human Resources > Queen Mary University of London > 327 Mile End Road > London > E1 4NS > > "Equality is not about treating everyone in the same way. It is about > responding to different needs in the different ways, which best suit them" > -- Deb Viney, Diversity Advisor, SOAS --------------------------------------------------------- School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London, WC1H 0XG tel: 0207 898 4957 email: [log in to unmask]