A fire safety duty
In England and Wales, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires fire safety equipment to be suitably maintained and kept in efficient working order and good repair.
Evac chair servicing
Evacuation chair servicing and inspections
Make sure your evac chairs will work when you need them most. We inspect, service and repair evacuation chairs from all major makes, with a clear record for your fire safety file.
- Annual servicing to manufacturer guidance
- Tracks, belts, brakes and straps checked
- All major makes and models
- Service records for your fire risk assessment
From £110 + VAT per chair
- 40+ years' experienceServicing for the NHS and private sector
- All makes and modelsMulti-brand engineers, authentic parts
- Full electronic reportsAn audit trail for every asset, every visit
- DBS-checked engineersUniformed, ID-carrying and fully trained
Why it matters
An evac chair only matters on the day it has to work
Evacuation chairs can sit unused for years, but in an emergency, they're how people with limited mobility get down the stairs safely.
Hidden deterioration
Tracks, belts, brakes and straps deteriorate over time, even in storage. Regular inspection finds problems before an emergency does.
Proof for your fire file
Service records show your fire risk assessor, insurer and inspectors that your evacuation equipment is maintained.
Evacuation chair servicing you can depend on
Evacuation chairs are designed to get people with limited mobility safely down stairways when lifts can't be used, such as during a fire. Because they're rarely used, it's easy to assume they're fine. But tracks, belts, brakes and straps deteriorate over time, even in storage, and a chair that fails on the stairs puts both the user and the operator at risk.
Shepherd services and inspects evacuation chairs for hospitals, care homes, schools, universities, airports, offices and public buildings.
What's checked on every service
Each chair is serviced in line with the manufacturer's guidance, including:
- Tracks and belts: wear, tension, damage and grip
- Braking and speed control: controlled, even descent
- Seat and restraints: fabric, straps, buckles and headrest
- Frame and handles: cracks, deformation, hinges and locking mechanisms
- Wheels: free movement and security
- Storage: wall bracket, cover and signage
Chairs that pass are labelled with their service date. Any faults are recorded with a clear repair quote, and because our engineers carry spare parts, many repairs can be completed on the same visit.
Your fire safety duties
In England and Wales, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires the responsible person for a building to make sure fire safety equipment is subject to a suitable system of maintenance and kept in efficient working order and good repair. Your fire risk assessment should also cover how people who need help will be evacuated, which for many buildings includes evacuation chairs.
Regular servicing, with records you can show your fire risk assessor, is the simplest way to demonstrate your evacuation equipment is maintained.
Records for every chair
Every evacuation chair is barcoded on our first visit, with its location recorded. After each service you receive an electronic report showing its condition, the work carried out and its next service date, so you always know that every chair in every stairwell is ready for use. Learn about asset tagging.
Staff training on the same visit
A serviced chair only helps if staff know how to use it. We also deliver on-site evacuation chair training, and can service your chairs on the same day.
Evac chair servicing in Hampshire and nationwide
From our base in Lee-on-the-Solent we service evacuation chairs across Portsmouth, Southampton, Fareham, Gosport, Winchester, Basingstoke and the Isle of Wight, as well as West Sussex and Dorset, and for multi-site organisations nationwide. Evac chairs can also be added to an existing servicing contract for your other equipment.
How it works
From first call to compliant equipment
- 1
Free on-site survey
We visit, audit your equipment and asset numbers, and look for savings against your current supplier.
- 2
Clear, itemised quote
A quote for exactly the equipment and service frequency you need. No hidden costs and no minimum number of assets.
- 3
Scheduled visits
Quarterly, six-monthly or annual visits. Engineers carry spare parts so most faults are fixed first time.
- 4
Reports and asset records
Every item barcoded and logged, with a full electronic report after each visit, ready for audits and inspections.
Also from Shepherd
One supplier for all your equipment
Evacuation Chair Training
On-site evacuation chair training for care homes, offices, schools and public buildings. Hands-on, on your own stairs and chairs. From £450 + VAT per session.
Find out morePUWER Inspections
PUWER inspections for wheelchairs, commodes, shower chairs, trolleys and other care equipment not covered by LOLER. From £35 + VAT per item.
Find out moreAsset Tagging & Reporting
Barcode asset tagging for care and hospital equipment, with location records, service history and electronic reports after every visit.
Find out moreFAQs
Evacuation chair FAQs
How often should an evacuation chair be serviced?
Most manufacturers recommend servicing evacuation chairs at least once a year by a competent engineer, with regular visual checks by your own staff in between. Chairs used for training or practice drills may need more frequent attention.
Is evacuation chair servicing a legal requirement?
In England and Wales, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires the responsible person to keep fire safety equipment suitably maintained, in efficient working order and in good repair. For evacuation chairs, servicing in line with the manufacturer's guidance and keeping records is the simplest way to show you're meeting that duty.
How much does evac chair servicing cost?
Evacuation chair servicing starts from £110 + VAT per chair, with lower rates when several chairs are serviced on one visit. You'll get an itemised quote first.
Which evacuation chairs do you service?
We service evacuation chairs from all major manufacturers. If you're unsure about your model, send us the make and model number, or a photo of the label, and we'll confirm.
Can you service evac chairs alongside our other equipment?
Yes. Evac chairs can be added to a servicing contract for beds, hoists and other equipment, so everything is covered in one visit and one report.
Keep every bed, hoist and chair safe, compliant and working
Book a free on-site survey or talk to our team about servicing, LOLER inspections, repairs and equipment supply.