Guide
Evacuation chair servicing and training - what the law requires
If your evacuation plan relies on an evacuation chair, the law expects two things - that the chair works, and that someone can use it. Here's what that means.
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The legal background
In England and Wales, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 makes the "responsible person" for a building, usually the employer or the person in control of the premises, responsible for fire safety. That includes making sure everyone can get out, including people who can't use the stairs unaided.
Where the fire risk assessment, or a personal emergency evacuation plan (PEEP), relies on an evacuation chair, two duties follow.
Duty 1: keep the chair maintained
Article 17 of the Fire Safety Order requires facilities, equipment and devices provided for fire safety to be maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair. Evacuation chairs are work equipment too, so PUWER 1998 also requires them to be maintained and, where they can deteriorate, inspected.
Neither sets a fixed interval, but evacuation chair manufacturers specify an annual service by a competent engineer, plus regular checks by your own staff. Following the manufacturer's schedule and keeping records is the simplest way to show you're meeting the duty.
A service typically covers the tracks, belts, brakes, wheels, handles, straps and frame, and checks that the chair deploys and folds correctly.
Duty 2: train the people who'll use it
Article 21 of the Fire Safety Order requires the responsible person to give employees adequate safety training, on induction and periodically after that. If staff are expected to use evacuation chairs, they need practical training in how to do it safely, and enough trained staff need to be on site at all times the building is occupied.
Training is usually refreshed at least once a year, with new staff trained as they join. Practical, hands-on training on your own stairs, using your own chairs, is far more useful than watching a video.
Evacuation chairs and LOLER
Evacuation chairs aren't lifting equipment in the LOLER sense, so they don't need six-monthly LOLER examinations. Their maintenance duties come from the Fire Safety Order and PUWER instead.
A simple annual routine
- Monthly (or per the manufacturer): staff check each chair is in place, undamaged and ready to deploy.
- Annually: a full service by a competent engineer, recorded for your fire safety file.
- Annually: refresher training for operators; new starters trained on joining.
- Whenever things change: review PEEPs and your fire risk assessment.
Servicing and training on one visit
Shepherd services evacuation chairs from all major manufacturers and delivers on-site evac chair training on your own stairs, often on the same day. Servicing starts from £110 + VAT per chair.
FAQs
Evac chair questions
Is it a legal requirement to service an evacuation chair?
The Fire Safety Order requires fire safety equipment to be maintained in efficient working order and good repair, and PUWER requires work equipment to be maintained. Annual servicing in line with the manufacturer's guidance is the accepted way to meet those duties.
How many staff should be trained to use an evac chair?
Enough to make sure trained operators are available whenever the building is occupied, including nights and weekends where relevant. Your fire risk assessment and PEEPs should set this out.
Do evacuation chairs need a LOLER inspection?
No. Evacuation chairs aren't treated as lifting equipment under LOLER. They're covered by the Fire Safety Order and PUWER.
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