Tall Building Fire Safety Network launches International Stair Descend Day

by Featured NewsSafety

The event will take place on Friday 19 May 2023

International Stair Descend Day (ISDD), an initiative launched by the Tall Building Fire Safety Network to promote the use of stairs as a community event, will take place on Friday 19 May 2023. The purpose of the event is to encourage occupants/tenants/residents to ‘descend’ the stairs and become familiar with their location and time it takes to descend.

In a tall building fire, stairs become occupants’ only route to safety, and misjudgements regarding their location and descent time can be fatal. ISDD aims to start a conversation about how people can vacate a building using stairs, rather than relying solely on elevators.

The event is not intended to be considered a fire drill, but a fun way for people to engage with their safety advisors, landlords, and managing agents. The ISDD is not limited to residential buildings but any high-rise building, whether it is business or mixed-use.

ISDD aims to promote social gatherings and activities such as “coffee and donuts” at the ground floor, raising money for local charities, and using social media to inform everyone that you have descended the stairs with fellow building occupants, neighbours, and colleagues.

Know your building

The event encourages occupants to consider the following questions: where are the stairs in my building? How long does it take to walk down the stairs? Can my neighbours and colleagues descend the stairs unaided? What do I do if I need help or need to ask questions? Is there any building features or evacuation equipment I should be aware of? What are the emergency procedures in my building?

Russ Timpson, Managing Director at Crisisboardroom and Tall Building Fire Safety Network, emphasised that people should not use any equipment such as evacuation chairs unless they have been trained to use them.

Participants should take advice from a competent safety professional before assisting anyone to descend the stairs.

The ISDD event hopes to bring awareness and prepare occupants for potential evacuation situations, creating a safer environment for all.

IFSJ Exclusive: Closing the legislative gap with Evac+Chair

by Breaking NewsIFSJ ExclusivesSafety

Evac + Chair looks at how the safety and lives of the UK’s disabled workforce are at risk in an emergency

Risky Business, the study from Evac+Chair International, found that one quarter of UK business decision makers do not know how many disabled and mobility impaired people there are within their organisation. Almost a third (29 per cent) have only “some” or “very little” understanding of their responsibilities, with one in 10 either not prepared, or unsure if they are adequately prepared, to safely evacuate employees needing assistance.

82 per cent of organisations surveyed are now calling on the Government to provide more clarity on their responsibilities surrounding fire safety, while more than two thirds (67 per cent) think that evacuation equipment should be a legal requirement.

Gerard Wallace, Managing Director of Evac+Chair International, says there are more than 4.8m disabled people in UK workplaces and this figure is rising and that those responsible for their safety are falling short, with a clear lack of knowledge, understanding and investment amplifying risk in emergency situations.

“Our findings show that safe evacuations for all clearly needs to move higher up the agenda.”

“Despite recent tragedies highlighting how important it is to be prepared to safely evacuate everyone from multistorey buildings, our findings show that safe evacuations for all clearly needs to move higher up the agenda,” says Wallace. “Our report makes the case to the Government for better education and a firmer legal landscape.”

This research surveyed 490 small and medium business decision makers across the UK about emergency evacuations. It covered legislation, awareness, preparedness and challenges facing firms when navigating their responsibilities around the safety of the disabled community.

Key findings

  • 25 per cent of decision makers are not aware of the number of mobility impaired people at their organisation.
  • More than two-thirds of decision makers (67 per cent) think there is a culture of fire safety non-compliance or looking for loopholes in the business community.
  • 29 per cent of organisations have only “some” or “very little” understanding of their obligations when it comes to safe evacuations.
  • 10 per cent of businesses are either not prepared, or unsure if they are fully prepared, to evacuate mobility impaired members of staff.
  • Almost one in five (19 per cent) say their organisations’ fire safety plan does not take into consideration temporary mobility issues.
  • Two-thirds (68 per cent) think that fire safety legislation does not do enough to protect people with mobility issues.
  • More than two thirds (67 per cent) think that having an evacuation chair should be a legal requirement.

New risks

Fires may be the most obvious and prevalent need for an emergency evacuation, but other risks are becoming increasingly possible, with flooding and extreme weather are expected to become the norm as Met Office research indicating that there is a greater risk of flash flooding and fire in the future. Energy shortages are also increasing the likelihood of blackouts, which are a trigger for emergency evacuations.

The research highlights a clear link between a lack of awareness and a lack of preparedness, with only one in five decision makers showing understanding of their organisation’s obligations when it comes to evacuation, whilst one in ten businesses are either not prepared at all or not sure they are prepared to evacuate disabled or mobility impaired members of staff.

Who is responsible?

An employers’ legal responsibilities under The Fire Safety Act in 2021, as explained by the London Fire Brigade, are to: “Ensure your premises reach the required standards” and “Provide employees with fire safety training – this usually includes induction training, covering general fire awareness, extra training if the level of risk increases as a result of changes to business operations and supporting employees to meet their fire safety duties. This could include training to carry out a fire risk assessment or for fire warden duties.”

Whoever is the appointed responsible person is required by law to carry out a Fire Risk Assessment to identify the risks and hazards in the premises they are responsible for. If a business has five or more employees, this Fire Risk Assessment must be recorded.

Grenfell’s legacy

Last year, disabled campaigners launched a legal challenge against the Government for failing to implement the Grenfell Tower inquiry’s call for evacuation plans for disabled people in high-rise buildings. The decision is expected imminently.

According to the report, more than one quarter (27 per cent) of respondents do not have someone solely responsible for evacuations, while one in five (19 per cent) do not take temporary mobility challenges – such as pregnancy or a broken leg – into consideration in their safety plans.

On regulation, 68 per cent think that fire safety legislation does not do enough to protect those with access needs, while the cost of equipment and a lack of information were cited as the biggest challenges for business leaders to develop suitable emergency evacuation procedures.

Sarah Rennie, accessibility consultant and fire safety campaigner of Claddag, which represents disabled and older people impacted by the #BuildingSafetyCrisis following the Grenfell Tower disaster says that the disabled community, which makes up one in five of the working age population, is placed in danger every day because of building design and management practices.

“The vast majority of us become disabled during our lives so it’s important to expect colleagues to need support next week which they might not need today,” says Rennie. “Any day of the week you should expect a disabled visitor, supplier or client to enter the building. Businesses must have practices in place to plan for known-unknown scenarios like this.

“The disabled residents who died in Grenfell Tower had no effective plans to escape or aids to do so. If we do not change our practices then we have to take personal and organisational accountability for future preventable deaths and life-changing injuries. In workplaces, we need to ask ourselves what our practices say about how we value the lives of our disabled colleagues, visitors and friends.”

Call for action

The report highlights the statistic that over two thirds (68 per cent) of respondents think that current fire safety legislation does not go far enough, whilst the majority (67 per cent) of respondents believe that having an evacuation chair should be a legal requirement.

The majority of respondents believe that having an evacuation chair should be a legal requirement.

Wallace adds: “Current legislation is not fit for purpose, offering little clarity to businesses and those responsible for multistorey buildings. This ambiguity, and the fact that provision of appropriate equipment is not a legal requirement, is clearly enabling a ‘slippery shoulders’ culture within businesses.

“Businesses are calling for more guidance and urging policymakers to make the law work harder for those facing access barriers. It’s time to close the legislative gap.”

Contact Evac+Chair on +44 (0) 121 706 6744 or enquiries@evacchair.co.uk and visit evacchair.co.uk for more information.

Evac+Chair at The Health and Safety Event

Evac+Chair will be showcasing their full range of evacuation chairs at the Health & Safety Event. Their team of experts will be available to discuss your evacuation requirements, provide information about training, maintenance and how to ensure you are prepared for safe evacuations. Live demonstrations will be taking place daily, giving delegates the opportunity to experience the world-renowned Evac+Chair themselves!

Evac+Chair is the original manufacturer and global leader in emergency evacuation chairs for the mobility impaired. Underpinned with over 40 years of experience in the design and manufacture of evacuation chairs, Evac+Chair is trusted and relied upon in emergency situations to assist in saving lives. With a wide range of accreditations, Evac+Chair prides itself on its superior product quality.

Their lifesaving products are installed in a variety of environments including offices, hotels, schools, colleges, sports stadia, retail outlets, factories and various healthcare settings worldwide.

To meet the team and find out more information on their products and services, please visit stand A20.

IFSJ Exclusive: Evacuation – Have you got a plan for that?

by Breaking NewsBuilding ManagementIFSJ Exclusives

Kevin Carr, Senior Fire Protection Specialist, talks about the NFPA’s emergency evacuation guide

Recently, someone that I know was in a building that needed to be evacuated due to an emergency situation. As many of us have experienced, building evacuations are often unplanned events that require an immediate response from occupants. Even under the least stressful conditions, relocating people to a specific area within a building, or having them vacate entirely, can be an arduous process. In this particular case, the individual I mentioned has a cognitive disability, which makes processing information and responding calmly difficult for them. Thankfully, due to a previously developed emergency evacuation plan that was properly executed, both the individual, as well as his companions, were able to egress the building safely without incident.

This example underlines the critical role that emergency evacuation plans play for occupants within a given building. These plans can take many forms, and may be required by applicable building, fire, and life safety codes. I would argue that a key consideration of these documents is understanding the occupants who are likely to be present. This includes people with disabilities, as they may have specific challenges and assistance needs, some of which may not be apparent. Unless carefully considered during the plan’s development or update, these concerns could potentially be overlooked.

To assist with these endeavors, NFPA recently released the third edition of the publication, Emergency Evacuation Planning Guide for People with Disabilities (herein, the Guide). The document’s main purpose is to provide building occupants, as well as building managers in non-residential buildings, guidance on how to develop an emergency evacuation plan that is inclusive of people with disabilities. Similar to previous editions, the document was developed by the NFPA Disability Access Review and Advisory Committee (DARAC), who specialises in advising NFPA regarding disability concerns.

DARAC, along with NFPA staff, sought to reimagine the publication from previous iterations. Most pressing, the focus was to guide the reader through practical considerations to develop a plan, explaining the fundamentals of evacuation, and provide a tool to record their findings. Given this premise, the Guide was reformatted into four distinct areas listed below, with some practical questions to consider:

1. Preparing an emergency evacuation plan

It could be argued that one of the most difficult challenges with emergency evacuation planning is where to begin. This section outlines practical considerations that should be considered before, during and after the plan’s creation. For many organisations, emergency evacuation plans could be a component within a larger emergency plan, and include other aspects, such as business continuity operations, for example. Others may develop a stand-alone document that is not reliant on outside factors.

In either case, the emergency evacuation plan often originates with the creation of a planning team. This team should ideally be composed of key stakeholders, such as building management, and seek to include people with disabilities among its members, as they are able to offer specific and relevant information. The team, once constructed, should assess the building, its operation, and occupants, leading to the creation of relevant and detailed plan.

Once developed, and most critically, the plan should be practiced. This step cannot be overstated enough, as testing will reveal how occupants might respond during an actual emergency. The planning team should review any exposed deficiencies to determine the most appropriate course of action. Finally, the planning team should establish a time to review the plan and provide updates at appropriate intervals.

Are you developing a new emergency evacuation plan or revising an existing one? If so, you may wish to consider these questions to get you started:

  • Does my organisation or building have a current plan?
  • When was this plan developed?
  • When was the last time a test of the plan was performed?
  • Who is responsible for the plan?
  • How is the plan communicated to occupants?
  • Has input, specific to people with disabilities, been received for inclusion within the plan?

2. Stages of an emergency evacuation

Understanding the building, and its operation, is an essential component for the creation of an effective plan. This section reviews five stages of evacuation to help the reader ensure that each phase is considered. The phases (Notification, Exit Signs, Exit Access, Exits, and Exit Discharge) are provided with associated images to visualise these concepts for the reader.

These five components, which are steeped in aspects of NFPA codes and standards (for more information, see www.nfpa.org), are provided in simple terms so both new and experienced individuals may participate in the plan’s development. It is important to note that while the Guide is a tool, it does not take the place of local, state, federal or other legal or regulatory requirements applicable in any jurisdiction. Please contact your authority having jurisdiction (otherwise known as “AHJ”) for information regarding your specific responsibilities.

Questions to Consider:

  • How is your building arranged?
  • How does your building utilise each phase of evacuation?
  • Who can assist you with questions you may have about your building’s arrangement?

2. Checklist for emergency evacuation planning

Having a tool to collect information is essential to crafting an effective plan. This section provides a checklist for the planning team, or individuals, to document their findings. The checklist is provided in five separate parts, based on the topics covered under the Stages of Emergency Evacuation, mentioned above. This is by design, as it allows the checklist to work in tandem with the source material to assist in uncovering any gaps that might be exposed.

Questions to Consider:

  • What items on the checklist are most applicable to the building’s arrangement?
  • Does the checklist need any additional areas to be added?
  • How will the information from the checklist be used and stored?

4. Resources

As the Guide is provided as a tool only and is not intended to replace legal or regulatory requirements, the planning team may determine that additional resources are needed to assist them with specific considerations. This section provides a partial list of NFPA and other resources that have expertise in a variety of areas and topics. As mentioned previously, a key resource to consider is the AHJ, who may include, but is not limited to, a building or fire official. Please consider contacting them with specific questions or concerns, as well as guidance.

Questions to Consider:

  • What resources are essential for your emergency evacuation plan to consider?
  • What outside resources should be consulted?
  • Have any areas for training been identified? If so, how will they be addressed?

As this brief outline of the Guide demonstrates, emergency evacuation plans are vital documents that have the ability to assist all occupants, including people with disabilities, in emergency situations. It is imperative that careful thought and consideration be undertaken when developing and revising these plans to achieve the most inclusive results.

When practiced and executed effectively, these plans have shown to have a significant impact on occupants’ ability to observe safer, calmer, and orderly evacuations. I challenge you to examine your own building’s plan and ask questions about how it could be improved for the benefit of everyone.

Stay healthy, stay safe, and stay inclusive.

About the author

Kevin Carr is a Senior Fire Protection Specialist at NFPA. He is the staff liaison for several technical committees, including NFPA DARAC. He may be reached at kcarr@nfpa.org.

Any opinion expressed in this column is the personal opinion of the author and does not necessarily represent the official position of NFPA or its Technical Committees. In addition, this piece is neither intended, nor should it be relied upon, to provide professional consultation or services.

This article was originally published in the January edition of IFSJ. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.

IFSJ Exclusive: Improving evacuation strategies with Evac+Chair

by Breaking NewsBuilding ManagementIFSJ Exclusives

Ges Wallace, Managing Director at Evac+Chair looks at improving evacuation strategies for all

Planning for the safe evacuation of everyone has become of increasing prevalence in recent years. With many commercial organisations adopting a more inclusive recruitment strategy to attract a wider demographic of employee, it is imperative that the correct health and safety policies and procedures are in place.

From improved accessibility and facilities, to having an evacuation plan that details how a mobility impaired individual will be assisted in the event of an emergency evacuation, organisations must ensure they are appropriately prepared. With the average retirement age increasing coupled with the growing number of disabled individuals in employment and many more individuals living with non-visible disabilities, it is of increasing likelihood that in an emergency there will be someone who will require assistance to evacuate.

Emergency evacuation for everyone

Everyone has the right to a quick, safe means of escape, which sounds simple enough for the able-bodied and something which is never questioned or no doubt thought about. However, the same cannot be said for those who have a mobility impairment, it is a daunting, frightening experience – as soon as the fire alarm goes off, they know only too well this starts the waiting game for them.

Not only will they have to wait for assistance to be taken to the safe refuge area, but they will also then have to wait to be evacuated, watching everyone rush out of the building, to safety. Even in a false alarm, the feelings of abandonment and fear are known only too well by those individuals who are left waiting. The question is clear: how long can we continue to let this happen?

Historically, the focus has been on visible impairments and almost all the signage we see, depicts that being disabled means being in a wheelchair. Today, we know that this view is outdated and not reflective of the world in which we live. The terms ‘mobility impaired’ and ‘disabled’ now cover a much broader spectrum of conditions and many are not always visible or permanent.

Temporary impairments such as a sporting injury, pregnancy or recovery from surgery and non-visible impairments such as mental health, illness or neurological conditions, can impact a person’s ability to self-evacuate and can be further exacerbated, during an emergency situation. At some point during all of our lifetimes we will become mobility impaired or our mobility will be impacted. With all of this in mind, there is a need for more to be done to ensure no one is left waiting to be evacuated, or worse lose their life.

It is estimated that 1.3 billion people (1 in 6) equating to 16% of the global population, have a moderate or severe disability and an estimated 386 million of the world’s working-age population have some form of disability. In the United States alone, 2 in 10 adults live with a disability, 306 million have difficulty walking or climbing upstairs, 12 million require assistance with everyday tasks and 3.6 million use a wheelchair. With these statistics increasing due to an aging population, rising numbers of obesity and chronic health conditions, now is the time for change.

Safe evacuation for all

These statistics highlight more than ever, the importance for all commercial buildings to have the means to evacuate everyone. Whilst fires are the emergency, that we all naturally think of being the main cause of an evacuation, there are a number of other risks that need to be considered. The climate crisis is making flooding and extreme weather the norm and the energy shortage is increasing the likelihood of blackouts. In addition, broader emergency situations such as security breaches, terrorism and electrical faults – especially in densely populated areas, cities and urban locations are all increasing the number of risks and therefore the likelihood of the need to evacuate in an emergency.

Being prepared for any eventuality and having the correct assistive equipment will ultimately save lives, should the worst happen. A mobility impaired person trying to evacuate without assistance may impede the whole evacuation process, and as a result put others’ lives along with their own, at risk. With lifts out of service and the stairs being the only option, it is not uncommon for people to panic and race to exit a building; causing accidents and congested stairwells, leading to further delays for everyone involved.

Planning ahead will save lives in the future. Having an evacuation plan that has been tried, tested and is regularly checked and updated will ensure the correct measures are in place in order to evacuate everyone. It is imperative during the planning stage, to factor in the building and its layout. Challenges can arise when evacuating high-rise buildings, where there will be many individuals all rushing to the fire exits and the time needed to travel down multiple flights of stairs to exit the building, will mean the evacuation will take longer – the higher the building, the more complex the evacuation plan.

The correct equipment to evacuate safely

Having a suitable evacuation plan which includes a PEEP (Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan) or a GEEP (Generic Emergency Evacuation Plan) detailing the correct assistive equipment, is of paramount importance. Furthermore, ensuring everyone knows what to do in an emergency, including personnel who are trained to assist in the safe evacuation of everyone from Fire Marshalls to operators of assistive equipment, will ensure the evacuation is successful.

The type of assistive equipment required depends upon the building, the personnel who require assistance and the evacuation route itself. Evac+Chair offers a wide range of products to suit any type of staircase or personnel requirement and it is vital these requirements are taken into consideration, when selecting the correct equipment. In addition, the assistive equipment must be stored in the correct location, ensuring it is easily accessible and regularly maintained.

An Evac+Chair is quick and easy to deploy and use, providing complete peace of mind that should you need to evacuate the mobility impaired; you can do so safely and quickly. Evac+Chair products are suitable for all environments including (but not limited to) offices, hotels, schools, sports stadia, retail outlets, healthcare and factories, each chair has a unique set of features that make it more suitable for certain environments.

The safest and fastest way to evacuate down stairways

Evac+Chair International Limited is the original manufacturer and global leader in emergency evacuation chairs for the mobility impaired. Underpinned with over 40 years of experience in the design and manufacture of evacuation chairs, Evac+Chair is trusted and relied upon in emergency situations to assist in saving lives.

Manufactured in the United Kingdom in a state-of-the-art headquarters, Evac+Chair uses world class technologies and processes. With a wide range of accreditations including ISO 9001 Quality Management standards, ISO 13485 Medical Device Quality Management and a number of quality checks throughout the entire manufacturing process and prior to shipment; Evac+Chair prides itself on its superior product quality.

The Evac+Chair was invented as a result of a very personal experience, by US citizen David Egan following an emergency evacuation in which he and his wife were involved. David’s wife had suffered from polio as a child, which had caused her mobility to be impeded and when they were forced to evacuate from the 38th Floor of a Manhattan building, David had to carry his wife to safety as there was no assistive equipment. Following this event, David recognised the need for a product to assist in the quick and safe evacuation of the mobility impaired and set about designing a solution that would do just that.

Today, the iconic blue and yellow Evac+Chair is recognised worldwide; exported to 70 countries, across 6 continents and has assisted in saving countless lives. Earning a well-deserved place in the 9/11 memorial museum for assisting in the evacuation of mobility impaired people, during the twin towers attack, the Evac+Chair is undoubtedly a life saver.

Whilst the fundamental design aspects of the Evac+Chair have been unaltered over the past 40 years, customer insight and investment in R&D has led to the product range being expanded and enhanced, providing greater safety and comfort to both the operator and passenger. Independent research carried out by the University of Greenwich concluded that an Evac+Chair provides the safest, quickest means of escape for the mobility impaired, compared with other types of evacuation products.

Evac+Chair is dedicated to evolving its products and delivering innovation. Investing in research and development and listening to customer feedback, Evac+Chair ensures its products meet the needs of its customers and is committed to creating a safer, more inclusive world. With the risk of an emergency evacuation growing and the global number of individuals with conditions that affect their mobility increasing, being prepared for the quick and safe evacuation of everyone must be a number one priority for us all.

Tel: +44 (0) 121 706 6744
Website: evacchair.co.uk
Email: enquiries@evacchair.co.uk

This article was originally published in the January edition of IFSJ. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.

IFE releases guide for Responsible Persons in healthcare and housing

by Featured News

Following the introduction of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, ensuring effective communication and collaborative working are key and so the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) has released a new guide for Responsible Persons.

Responsible persons are those who are accountable for the safety of themselves and others who use a regulated building. This can include building owners, employers or people with control of a premises. The responsible person is the person on whom most of the duties set out in the Fire Safety Order are imposed.

Many Responsible Persons now have enhanced fire safety as part of their remit and we are determined to assist professionals in furthering their knowledge surrounding fire safety. The IFE’s free easy-to-follow guide, specifically for those working in health care and housing, is now available.

The IFE said: “Development and competency are key attributes to building a future safer from fire. If you’re a responsible person looking for further information on fire safety, and how the IFE can help you within your role, visit our membership page.“

Download the guide here.

Risky Business: Evac+Chair releases report on emergency evacuation measures

by Breaking News

A new report from Evac+Chair International titled ‘Risky Business‘ looks at how the safety and lives of the UK’s disabled workforce, and those dealing with access barriers, are at risk in an emergency. 

The new study, found that one quarter of UK business decision makers do not know how many disabled and mobility impaired people there are within their organisation.

Almost a third (29 per cent) reported having only “some” or “very little” understanding of their responsibilities, with one in 10 either not prepared, or unsure if they are adequately prepared, to safely evacuate employees needing assistance. 

The majority (82 per cent) of organisations responding to the report called on the Government to provide more clarity on their responsibilities surrounding fire safety, while more than two thirds (67 per cent) think that evacuation equipment should be a legal requirement. 

‘A firmer legal landscape’

Gerard Wallace, Managing Director of Evac+Chair International, said: “There are more than 4.8m disabled people in UK workplaces and this figure is rising. Those responsible for their safety are falling short, with a clear lack of knowledge, understanding and investment amplifying risk in emergency situations. 

“Despite recent tragedies highlighting how important it is to be prepared to safely evacuate everyone from multistorey buildings, our findings show that safe evacuations for all clearly needs to move higher up the agenda. Our report makes the case to the Government for better education and a firmer legal landscape.” 

Last year, disabled campaigners launched a legal challenge against the Government for failing to implement the Grenfell Tower inquiry’s call for evacuation plans for disabled people in high-rise buildings. The decision is expected imminently.

More than two thirds (67 per cent) of decision makers believe there is a culture of non-compliance or exploitation of loopholes in the business community, surrounding evacuation measures. 

More than one quarter (27 per cent) of respondents do not have someone solely responsible for evacuations, while one in five (19 per cent) do not take temporary mobility challenges – such as pregnancy or a broken leg – into consideration in their safety plans. 

On regulation, 68 per cent said they thought that fire safety legislation does not do enough to protect those with access needs, while the cost of equipment and a lack of information were cited as the biggest challenges for business leaders to develop suitable emergency evacuation procedures. 

‘In danger every day’

Sarah Rennie, accessibility consultant and fire safety campaigner of Claddag, which represents disabled and older people impacted by the #BuildingSafetyCrisis following the Grenfell Tower disaster, added: “The disabled community, making up one in five of the working age population, is placed in danger every day because of building design and management practices.

“The vast majority of us become disabled during our lives so it’s important to expect colleagues to need support next week which they might not need today. Any day of the week you should expect a disabled visitor, supplier or client to enter the building. Businesses must have practices in place to plan for known-unknown scenarios like this. 

“The disabled residents who died in Grenfell Tower had no effective plans to escape or aids to do so. If we do not change our practices then we have to take personal and organisational accountability for future preventable deaths and life-changing injuries. In workplaces, we need to ask ourselves what our practices say about how we value the lives of our disabled colleagues, visitors and friends.”

Wallace added: “Current legislation is not fit for purpose, offering little clarity to businesses and those responsible for multistorey buildings. This ambiguity, and the fact that provision of appropriate equipment is not a legal requirement, is clearly enabling a ‘slippery shoulders’ culture within businesses.

“Businesses are calling for more guidance and urging policymakers to make the law work harder for those facing access barriers. It’s time to close the legislative gap.”

To read the Risky Business report, visit www.evacchair.co.uk/white-paper-risky-business-download/. 

NFCC calls for multiple fire escapes on high-rise residential buildings

by Breaking NewsSafety

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has released a statement calling on the Government to make it a requirement for all new high rise residential buildings over 18 metres or seven storeys to have more than one staircase. In England, there is currently no maximum height for residential buildings with only one staircase.

NFCC is urging the Government to adopt the following changes for high rise residential buildings over 18 metres or seven storeys: All new buildings must have more than one protected staircase, all existing buildings must be retrofitted with sprinklers, and lifts in existing buildings should be installed or replaced for use in an evacuation.

Gavin Tomlinson, NFCC Protection and Business Safety Scrutiny Committee Chair said: “We are calling on the Government to ensure that all new high rise residential buildings over 18 metres, or seven storeys, have more than one fire escape staircase. In the event of a fire, a correctly designed second staircase removes the risk of a single point of failure, buying critical time for firefighting activities, and providing residents with multiple escape routes.”

NFCC’s recommendations could be reinforced by amending building regulations or the key Government guidance, Approved Document B.

Mark Hardingham, NFCC Chair added: “The Government should be commended on the improvements it has made, such as banning combustible cladding and requiring sprinklers at 11 metres. However, we urge the Government to now publish an updated workplan for the review of Approved Document B to give regulators, the public, and the wider fire safety industry confidence that the Government is still committed to reform.”

NFPA updates guide for disabled community emergency evacuation

by Building ManagementFeatured News

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has released a new edition of a guide that helps the disabled community prepare for emergency evacuation.

The main purpose of ‘Emergency Evacuation Planning Guide for People with Disabilities‘ is to provide building occupants, as well as building managers in non-residential buildings, guidance on how to develop an emergency evacuation plan that is inclusive of people with disabilities.

The guide has been reimagined and redesigned from the ground up. It utilizes a simplified layout, with content arranged in four unique parts: Preparing an emergency evacuation, stages of an emergency evacuation, checklist for emergency evacuation planning and NFPA publications and other resources.

The Emergency Evacuation Planning Guide for People with Disabilities is available as a free download.

Kevin Carr, Senior Fire Protection Specialist at the NFPA, commented: “We hope that you find the guide to be a useful tool to assist you with emergency evacuation planning. Please contact your authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) for information regarding your responsibilities in your jurisdiction. If you have questions or comments about the guide, NFPA would appreciate hearing from you.”

Fire safety at Vietnam karaoke bars under scrutiny following blaze

by Featured NewsSafety

Fire departments in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) and its neighbour Dong Nai Province have so far found that 140 karaoke bars have failed to meet fire safety requirements.

Surprise inspections have begun being carried out following a deadly fire at a karaoke bar in southern Vietnam on Wednesday for which the death toll has risen to 32 according to latest reports.

The Dong Nai police said Thursday that surprise checks at 150 karaoke parlours found 50 of them falling short of safety requirements either in terms of design or equipment and that four could be shut down temporarily.

The HCMC police said on Wednesday that they had inspected around 300 parlours and found 90 of them in violation. Two of these were shut down for lack of certification on meeting fire safety requirements.

In an announcement on Thursday, the government office, citing Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, ordered cities and provinces to tighten control on karaoke parlours and suspend any that lack appropriate fire safety protocols. The office said that all karaoke parlours must have a second emergency exit, either through a balcony, the roof or stairs.

Former estate agent pleads guilty to fire safety breaches

by Featured NewsSafety

Property management agent and retired Force and Sons estate agent Mr David Force, from Dawlish, has now pleaded guilty to three charges of breaches of fire safety at Newton Abbot Magistrates Court on Monday 15 August.

Force was ordered to pay full costs to the local authority. The charges relate to his property at 9 Queen Street, which is used as commercial businesses on the ground floor with a privately let flat above.

The Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said that this judgment demonstrated how the service acted as an enforcing authority by taking action to keep the public safe from harm.

The Investigation

In 2021, business safety officers from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service raised concerns with Mr Force for unsafe practices such as a lack of suitable means of escape in case of fire, structural failures and the absence of a fire risk assessment.

The officers took the decision that the premises were dangerous to the person who lived in the flat, and with immediate effect, they could not stay there anymore. This was due to the risk of a fire if occurring on the ground floor the person in the flat above would not be able to make their escape safely. The person in the flat was also considered to be vulnerable as they were elderly with additional disabilities.

Following the investigation, the fire service made the decision to take Force to court. The Service determined that the conditions found at the premises in 2021 were so far below an acceptable standard that they had put people at risk of death or serious injury in the event of a fire occurring. 

The investigation found that Force had known that the premises did not have adequate means of escape in case of fire back in 2009. He had never made an application for the works despite the need to do so. Despite this, he continued to take rent from a vulnerable person for a number of years despite knowing that the flat was unsafe to occupy.

The defendant pleaded guilty to all three charges from Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO) including compartmentation, fire separation failures between the businesses and the flat, not having completed a fire risk assessment for the premises (Article 9), and failing to provide suitable means of escape in case of fire from the flat (Article 14).

The fines awarded were the maximum allowed under the sentencing rules. Force was ordered to pay the full prosecution costs of £8659.00 and a victim’s surcharge of £190.

After the prosecution, Glen Wells, Business Safety Legal Support Officer said: “Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service take the safety of people who work, live and visit Devon and Somerset very seriously.

“Fire safety legislation is there for a reason, to ensure that people are safe in buildings should a fire occur and can safely evacuate should they need to do so.

“Where building owners provide accommodation, they must do so with all the required and appropriate fire safety measures in place.

“Where persons responsible for premises know that fire safety measures are poor and dangerous, or they knowingly allow poor fire safety standards, putting profits before safety, they will be held to account”.