Emergency Egress for People with Disabilities and Emergent Limitations
The need for safe evacuation for people with disabilities was recognised in the recent update of Australian Standard (AS) 3745 -2002, Emergency control organization and procedures for buildings, structures and workplaces.
Clause 4.2.11 of the current AS3745-2010 Planning for Emergencies in the Workplace states:
When developing emergency response procedures, consideration shall be given to occupants and visitors who for one reason or another may need assistance or are unlikely to be able to act optimally in an emergency
AS3745 now requires that:
- Evacuation arrangements for persons with a disability shall be considered in the development of the emergency response procedures;
- That the emergency procedures consider all occupants and visitors who may for any reason require assistance during an emergency.
The Standard also recommends that:
- A current list of names, workplaces and other relevant information about occupants with a disability should be kept in the Chief Warden’s control area.
- Suitable strategies should be discussed with those people with disabilities occupying the building and a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEP) is developed for each of the persons.