THE ANSWER, FIRST
Plan for everyone to get out safely. Routes, exits, assistance needs, signs, lighting and staff arrangements must fit the premises and its occupants.
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Who is responsibleYour next stepsBefore spending moneyWhat you can do yourselfPutting it into practiceRecords to keepWhen to reviewCommon questionsOfficial sourcesWho is responsible?
Those responsible for emergency arrangements in non-domestic premises.
Plan usable escape routes, sufficient exits, clear signs and emergency lighting where needed. Train staff and make arrangements for people with mobility needs.
START HERE
Your next three steps
- 1
Check routes and exits are usable and kept clear.
- 2
Plan how everyone will leave safely, including anyone needing help.
- 3
Check signs, lighting, training and assembly arrangements.
BEFORE YOU PAY
Make sure you’re buying the right job
- Explain who uses the building and when.
- Identify shared escape routes and people who may need assistance.
- Ask how the proposed plan or lighting work fits the fire risk assessment.
Watch out: An evacuation plan that only works for able-bodied staff does not address everyone who may use the building.
Compare the whole cost of two quotesWhat can you do yourself?
Keep escape routes clear, make arrangements known and organise the checks and practice appropriate to your premises.
When to get competent help
Use competent advice for design questions or circumstances your team cannot assess. Do not rely on an evacuation plan that ignores people needing assistance.
Plan around the people using the premises
Before you commission work
Explain different occupancy patterns, visitors and assistance needs to anyone advising on the plan. Identify shared routes and responsibilities. If commissioning lighting work, give the provider the relevant assessment and existing information rather than asking for a generic package based only on room count.
Follow through on the result
Ask how changes will be communicated to staff and other affected people. Keep lessons from practice and changes in building use connected to the plan. Where a route, system or assistance arrangement raises an unresolved question, assign it for competent review instead of assuming a new document has settled it.
Compare costs and decide what to buy
Use these buying guides to prepare your brief, check exclusions and compare the whole price.
Keep a useful record
Aim for information that helps the next person make a sound decision.
- The emergency plan and responsibilities.
- Relevant practice, staff information and assistance arrangements.
- Checks, maintenance and action on faults.
When to review it
Check arrangements regularly and review when occupancy, layout or assistance needs change.
Ask a supplier to distinguish a legal deadline, a recommendation based on risk and a condition in your contract or insurance. They are not interchangeable.
Questions to put to a provider
- Can people use the routes if normal lighting fails?
- How have assistance needs been considered?
- How will the plan be practised?
Common questions
Is an evacuation plan only for employees?
No. Consider the people who may use the premises, including visitors and those who need assistance.
Check the official sources
Read the current guidance for the place where you operate. A link is not an endorsement of this website by the regulator.
Source-checked guidance. Specialist editorial sign-off is pending; this is not an assessment of your business. It does not cover every specialist activity or replace competent, case-specific advice.
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