Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan Guidance 2016-17

Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan Guidance

Introduction

Under current fire safety legislation it is the duty of the person(s) having responsibility for the venue to provide Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPS) for all people likely to be in the premises with learning difficulties and disabilities who may need assistance with emergency evacuation. Such an evacuation plan should not rely upon the intervention of the Fire and Rescue Service to make it work. If a provider does not make provision for the safe evacuation of disabled people from its premises, this may be viewed as unlawful.

Of all the people who may be especially at risk in an emergency situation, tutors need to pay particular attention to people who may have special needs, including those with a disability. Where people with special needs use or work in the premises, their needs should, so far as is practicable, be discussed with them. These will often be modest and may require only changes or modifications to existing procedures. Tutors may need to develop a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) for people who frequently use a venue. The individual for whom the PEEP is developed will need to be confident that the plan put in place should ensure their evacuation from the building in an emergency situation. This guidance is designed to assist tutors in developing a PEEP for learners, staff or visitors who have a learning difficulty and disability either permanently or temporarily and in the event of an evacuation are unable to exit the building unaided. The plan should be prepared jointly with the person concerned.

What is the Aim of a PEEP?

The aim of the PEEP is to provide the person(s), who would be unable to get themselves out of the building unaided, with the necessary information to manage their escape. The PEEP should also detail the level of assistance that is necessary and how it is to be provided and by whom. If an area is considered to be

ACL Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan Guidance 2016/17 V1 1 suitable for safe access/egress by a disabled person who would then be unable to evacuate the building unaided then a PEEP must be prepared for that person.

What Needs to be Considered

The Person Some individuals may require additional support to evacuate. A plan should be prepared to facilitate the safe evacuation of all those present that may have a physical, mental or sensory impairment. Tutors are responsible for the safe evacuation of those learners and staff under their control Consideration should therefore be given to the following factors as they affect the person

 The nature of the impairment/disability of the person or persons likely to be at risk  Familiarity with the premises and/or the evacuation procedure and appreciation of personal risk  Location of the person within the building  The ability of the person at risk to hear and understand evacuation alarms  Ability to evacuate the building without assistance  Characteristics of the building e.g. single story, multi-storey, number of exits  Provision of a fire lift.

Types of impairment could include one or more of the following  Hearing  Sight  Cognitive  Development/learning impairment  Wheelchair user/mobility impairment  Temporary mobility impairment due to injury or illness e.g. broken leg, sprained ankle, ear infections etc Temporary Injuries If a member of the team is injured to a degree of lack of mobility then a temporary PEEP should be drawn up to accommodate the situation albeit short term, the format of the PEEP should follow the above guidelines until the person is able to evacuate the building unaided.

Support Strategies

ACL Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan Guidance 2016/17 V1 2 In some cases the use of specialist equipment may be required such as an Evac Chair®. Evac Chair®. operators should be identified within the venue. In many cases a “buddy” system may suffice, for instance staff available to assist the person down the stairs safely to the evacuation point. This process should not impede the flow of others or create risks of falls or crushing, and shall take place after others have evacuated.

The Use of Refuges Refuges are typically available at staircase landing levels and may be equipped with intercom devices. If the person is likely to move alone around a building, a means of communication or a pre-arranged meeting point will be necessary. Refuges are a good place to have pre-arranged meeting points. People should never be left alone in a refuge point awaiting rescue. The refuge point can however be used as a safe resting place, as well as a place to wait in a phased evacuation while the go-ahead for a full evacuation is established. If the person has been unable to evacuate the premises, the intercom system (where fitted) should be used so that the location of the person is known and their location within the building can be given to the attending fire service. From these places of relative safety, rescue attempts can be made and persons in the refuge will be able to communicate with someone. Refuge areas should not be used as a substitute for a robust “buddy” system.

What needs to be included in the PEEP?

 Identify the best method of evacuation  The need for specialist equipment such as an Evac Chair® and any requirements for training in the use of that equipment  Details of trained Evac Chair® operators  Information on the maintenance of any evacuation equipment  Identify wheelchair accessible exits (if applicable)  Location of refuges and communication means  Can the individual get to the refuge unaided or will a “buddy” system be necessary  Details of the Staff volunteering to “buddy” up  Details of training requirements for both the person and the “buddy”.  Date that the PEEP was agreed

When should the PEEP be reviewed? ACL Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan Guidance 2016/17 V1 3 The PEEP should be reviewed when there are significant changes to the building layout, or the disability of the person changes.

ACL Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan Guidance 2016/17 V1 4