All businesses need to comply with fire safety regulations. To do so, they install fire alarms, safety signs and clearly marked fire exit routes to ensure the quick evacuation of the building. Since the passing of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) of 2004, fire safety measures must also include accommodating people with disabilities.
Employees need to be trained in assisting disabled people to evacuate the building. Sufficient numbers need to be trained so that there is at least one person available at any time to assist a disabled person.
If possible, allocate workstations near to fire exits for disabled people to work in. If they work above ground level and use a wheelchair, there should be plans in place detailing how that employee can evacuate the building if they cannot use lifts.
Temporarily incapacitated people, such as those with injuries, also need to be catered for within the fire safety procedures.
Fire safety for the disabled is not just a question of providing the right facilities. All staff need to be trained in how to use safety equipment to assist them. In 2013, a study by the Welsh Government Health Board discovered that in hospitals where there were hearing loops available, many staff did not know how to use the equipment. In case of a fire, the hearing loops can warn people with hearing loss when the fire alarm goes off.
Fire safety equipment must be installed for everyone and businesses need to know what equipment is best for their premises.
