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Evacuation Chairs2026-10-13T08:47:24+00:00

EVACUATION CHAIRS

A Comprehensive, Detailed Overview Of The Evac Chair

OVERVIEW

Below is a comprehensive, detailed overview of the EVAC Chair, covering compliance, British Standards, best practice, recommended questions, example locations, and servicing requirements. Please contact SS Systems.

1. What is an EVAC Chair?

An EVAC chair (evacuation chair) is a specially designed, lightweight device used to assist in the safe evacuation of mobility-impaired individuals during an emergency, such as fire, power failure, lift outage, or building evacuation where stairs are the only means of escape.

It uses tracked treads that allow a trained operator to guide the chair safely down stairways with minimal physical effort.

2. Purpose and Importance

EVAC chairs ensure:

• Compliance with legislation regarding safe evacuation for disabled persons.

• Equal access to emergency escape routes.

• Reduced risk to staff during evacuation.

• A practical solution where lifts cannot be used during emergencies.

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3. Relevant Legislation & Compliance (UK)

Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires employers and building controllers to:

  • Implement measures for safe evacuation of all occupants.
  • Provide Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs).
  • Ensure adequate equipment, training, and escape arrangements.

BS 9999:2017 provides best-practice guidance for fire safety in buildings, including:

  • Evacuation strategies for disabled persons.
  • Provision and placement of evacuation equipment.

BS 8300-2:2018 offers guidance on ensuring buildings are accessible and usable by disabled people; includes emergency escape considerations.

PUWER 1998 (Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations) – EVAC chairs are considered work equipment. Requirements:

  • Suitable for intended task.
  • Maintained in good working order.
  • Users must receive adequate training.

4. Best-Practice Recommendations

Placement EVAC chairs should be located:

  • Close to stairwells (not blocking escape routes).
  • On each relevant floor where mobility-impaired persons may be present.
  • At fire refuge points if space allows.
  • Clearly signed with instructions and usage guidelines.

Number of Units depends on:

  • Building size and occupancy.
  • Number of mobility-impaired individuals.
  • Escape strategy and travel distances. Typical guideline: At least one per staircase commonly used for emergency exit.

Training:

  • Formal hands-on training for designated staff.
  • Refreshers every 6–12 months.
  • Scenario-based drills including mobility-impaired evacuation.

Maintenance & Inspection:

  • Routine pre-use visual checks.
  • Documented monthly in-house checks.
  • Annual service by a competent technician (PUWER requirement).
  • Keep maintenance logs for fire safety audits.

5. Examples of Where EVAC Chairs Should Be Located

Workplace:

  • Offices: Near main staircases and refuge points.
  • Reception areas if wheelchair users are visitors.
  • Large multi-storey buildings: One on each floor.

Education:

  • Schools and colleges: Near lifts, classroom blocks, and sports halls.
  • Universities: In accommodation blocks, lecture theatres, libraries.

Healthcare:

  • Clinics, GP surgeries, outpatients’ areas.
  • Care homes: Specialist bariatric versions may be required.

Public and Commercial Buildings:

  • Cinemas and theatres: Backstage and near public seating zones.
  • Shopping centres: Adjacent to staff areas and lift lobbies.
  • Hotels: Near escape stairs on guest floors.

Industrial and Warehousing:

  • Welfare areas.
  • Mezzanine floors.
  • Elevated office pods and meeting rooms.

6. Service and Maintenance Requirements

Daily/Weekly Checks:

  • Chair present at designated location.
  • Security seal or strap intact.
  • Visual inspection for damage.
  • User manual accessible.

Monthly User Checks:

  • Ensure smooth operation of treads.
  • Check seat straps, buckles, and brake systems.
  • Record check in logbook.

Annual Competent Service performed by certified EVAC chair technician:

  • Full mechanical inspection.
  • Lubrication of moving parts.
  • Replacement of worn components.
  • Certification and tagging.

7. Questions to Ask When Selecting or Reviewing EVAC Chairs

About the Building:

  1. How many floors need coverage?
  2. What are the escape routes and stair configurations?
  3. Are there existing refuge points?
  4. Are lifts likely to fail in an emergency?

About Occupants:

  1. Are mobility-impaired staff or visitors regularly present?
  2. Do any individuals require PEEPs?
  3. Is bariatric or paediatric equipment needed?

About Equipment:

  1. What type (tracked, powered, transit) is appropriate?
  2. Does the building need multiple chairs per floor?
  3. Is the equipment compliant with PUWER and fire regulations?

About Training:

  1. Who will be trained as operators?
  2. How often will re-training occur?
  3. Is the manufacturer providing accredited training?

About Maintenance:

  1. Who performs annual servicing?
  2. Is a maintenance log in place?
  3. Are visual checks scheduled and recorded?

8. Common Types of EVAC Chairs

  • Tracked EVAC chairs: Most common; friction tracks slow descent.
  • Powered EVAC chairs: Motorized, helpful for long or steep stairways.
  • Transit evacuation chairs: For flat-surface movement only; not for stairs.
  • Bariatric EVAC chairs: For heavier users.

9. Example Best-Practice Layout

For a typical 5-storey office:

  • One EVAC chair per escape staircase (2 stairwells × 5 floors = 10).
  • At least 2–4 trained operators per floor.
  • Chairs mounted on visible wall brackets with signage.
  • Annual servicing contract.

10. Summary

EVAC chairs are essential for ensuring legal compliance, inclusive evacuation, and best practice in fire safety. Proper placement, training, servicing, and alignment with standards such as BS 9999 and BS 8300 are critical to ensuring safe, effective evacuations for mobility-impaired individuals.

Frequently Asked Questions About Evacuation Chairs

An evacuation chair helps trained personnel assist someone with limited mobility down stairs during an emergency.

Many evacuation chairs use specialist tracks that provide a controlled descent along stairways. The operator guides the chair and follows the manufacturer’s instructions to maintain control throughout the evacuation.

Evacuation chairs can support people who cannot use stairs independently during a fire, power failure or another emergency that affects normal building access.

However, an evacuation chair may not suit everyone. The building’s evacuation arrangements must consider each person’s mobility, transfer needs, comfort and safety.

UK legislation does not require every commercial building to have an evacuation chair.

However, employers and those responsible for premises must make suitable arrangements for people who may need assistance during an emergency.

In England and Wales, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires the Responsible Person to assess fire risks and establish appropriate fire safety arrangements. The Equality Act 2010 also places relevant duties on organisations to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people.

An evacuation chair may form part of those arrangements when the building’s layout and individual evacuation needs make it a suitable solution.

Review your fire risk assessment and evacuation strategy before deciding which equipment your premises require.

Evacuation chairs can help people who cannot safely use stairs without assistance during an emergency.

Potential users may include:

  • Wheelchair users who can transfer safely into an evacuation chair
  • People with temporary injuries that affect their mobility
  • Individuals with conditions that make stair descent difficult
  • People recovering from surgery
  • Visitors or employees who cannot use stairs independently

Do not assume that every person with reduced mobility can or wishes to use an evacuation chair.

Discuss individual requirements wherever possible and consider suitable alternatives if transferring into a chair or travelling in a seated position would create additional risks.

Position evacuation chairs where trained personnel can reach them quickly and use them as part of the building’s planned evacuation routes.

Suitable locations may include areas near designated escape staircases, refuge points and other positions identified through the fire risk assessment and evacuation planning process.

When choosing locations, consider:

  • Access to suitable stairways and evacuation routes
  • The needs of employees, visitors and other building occupants
  • The location of designated refuge areas
  • The number of trained operators available
  • Clear signage and access to operating instructions
  • Safe storage that does not obstruct escape routes

The building’s evacuation strategy should determine the number and location of chairs. No single placement rule suits every premises.

The number of evacuation chairs your building needs depends on its layout, occupancy, evacuation arrangements and the people who may require assistance.

Factors to consider include:

  • The number of floors and suitable escape staircases
  • The location of people who may need assisted evacuation
  • Staircase width, landings and other physical restrictions
  • The number of people who may need assistance at the same time
  • The availability of trained operators
  • Any suitable evacuation lifts or alternative escape arrangements

Some buildings may need chairs at several locations, while others may use a different arrangement that provides suitable access to equipment.

Ask a competent fire safety specialist to review the building’s evacuation strategy before deciding how many chairs to provide.

Yes. Staff who operate evacuation chairs need suitable practical training before they use the equipment during an emergency.

Training should help operators understand:

  • How to prepare and deploy the chair
  • How to assist a person into the chair safely
  • How to secure the occupant using the appropriate restraints
  • How to control the chair on stairs and landings
  • How to communicate with the occupant throughout the evacuation
  • How to follow the building’s emergency procedures
  • How to inspect and store the chair after use

Provide refresher training and practical exercises at suitable intervals, taking account of the manufacturer’s guidance and staff competence.

Only personnel with appropriate training should operate an evacuation chair.

A Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan, or PEEP, sets out how a person who needs assistance can evacuate a building during an emergency.

The plan considers the person’s individual requirements, the building’s layout and the support or equipment that may help them reach a place of safety.

A PEEP may cover:

  • The person’s preferred and suitable evacuation method
  • Relevant escape routes and refuge arrangements
  • Whether an evacuation chair or other equipment would help
  • Who will provide assistance and how they will communicate
  • Alternative arrangements if the preferred route becomes unavailable
  • Any training or practical preparation that staff need

Wherever possible, involve the individual when developing their plan and review it when their needs or the building’s arrangements change.

An evacuation chair may support a PEEP, but it does not replace the wider evacuation plan.

Different evacuation chairs and assisted evacuation devices suit different users, buildings and escape arrangements.

Common options include:

  • Tracked evacuation chairs – Use specialist tracks to help trained operators guide occupants down suitable staircases.
  • Powered evacuation chairs – Use powered assistance for certain movements, depending on the model and its operating capabilities.
  • Bariatric evacuation chairs – Accommodate higher user weights where the manufacturer’s specifications permit.
  • Specialist evacuation devices – Support particular mobility, transfer or building requirements.

Not every device can travel safely on stairs, and different models have different user weight limits, operator requirements and staircase restrictions.

Check the manufacturer’s specifications and assess the intended user’s needs before selecting equipment.

Evacuation chairs need regular checks and appropriate maintenance to help ensure they remain safe and ready for use.

Establish an inspection and servicing schedule that follows the manufacturer’s instructions, the equipment’s condition and the requirements that apply to its use.

The programme may include:

  • Routine visual checks – Confirm that the chair remains accessible, undamaged and correctly stored.
  • Periodic user inspections – Check relevant restraints, tracks, wheels, handles and operating mechanisms in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
  • Competent servicing – Arrange technical inspections and maintenance at the recommended intervals.
  • Post-use checks – Inspect the chair after deployment, training exercises or any event that could affect its condition.
  • Record keeping – Document inspections, faults, servicing and corrective action.

Many manufacturers recommend annual professional servicing, but the applicable requirements depend on the equipment and its circumstances.

Remove unsafe equipment from service and arrange appropriate repairs or replacement.

Contact SS Systems to discuss evacuation chair requirements for your commercial premises.

Our team can discuss your building’s layout, the number of floors, potential equipment locations and the evacuation arrangements you need to consider.

Before choosing equipment, review your fire risk assessment and any relevant Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans to help establish a suitable approach.

You should also consider operator training, routine checks and long-term maintenance when planning your evacuation chair provision.

Call 03300 417 170, email sales@sssystems.co.uk or visit our Contact Us page.

Advice When Choosing and Maintaining Evacuation Chairs

Before purchasing evacuation chairs, review your building’s fire risk assessment and emergency evacuation strategy.

Identify where people may need assistance, which escape routes they can use and what equipment could support their safe evacuation.

Consider the following:

  • The number of floors and escape staircases
  • The location of employees and visitors who may need assistance
  • Existing refuge points and communication arrangements
  • The suitability of evacuation lifts or alternative escape routes
  • The width, gradient and configuration of staircases
  • The number of trained personnel available during operating hours
  • The building’s evacuation procedures and fire safety responsibilities

Use these findings to decide whether evacuation chairs provide an appropriate solution and where your building may need them.

Do not rely on evacuation chairs as your only provision for people who may need assistance during an emergency.

Choose evacuation chairs that suit both the people who may use them and the physical conditions within your building.

Different models offer different features, operating methods and user capacities.

Before selecting equipment, check:

  • Staircase suitability – Confirm that the chair can operate safely on your stairs and landings.
  • User capacity – Check the manufacturer’s maximum user weight and any relevant size restrictions.
  • Transfer requirements – Consider how the person will move into and out of the chair.
  • Operator requirements – Establish how many trained people the model needs.
  • Storage dimensions – Make sure the chair fits safely in its designated location.
  • Ease of operation – Assess how quickly trained staff can prepare and deploy the equipment.
  • Maintenance support – Check the availability of replacement parts and competent servicing.

Where practical, arrange a demonstration using the type of staircase and operating conditions that your premises present.

Involve relevant building users in equipment selection wherever possible so their needs and preferences inform the decision.

Work with people who may need assistance during an emergency to establish suitable evacuation arrangements.

A Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) can help you document the support, equipment and procedures that an individual may require.

When developing a plan, consider:

  • The person’s mobility and ability to use stairs
  • Whether they can transfer safely into an evacuation chair
  • Their preferred method of evacuation
  • The assistance they may need from trained staff
  • The suitability of designated escape routes
  • Communication arrangements during an emergency
  • Alternative arrangements if equipment or a route becomes unavailable

Consult the individual wherever possible and respect their preferences, independence and dignity.

Do not assume that everyone with a mobility impairment needs an evacuation chair. Some people may require different equipment or an alternative evacuation arrangement.

Review individual plans when circumstances change and make sure the appropriate staff understand their responsibilities.

Choose evacuation chair locations that support your building’s emergency procedures and allow trained personnel to access equipment quickly.

Consider placing chairs near suitable escape staircases or designated refuge points where the building’s evacuation strategy supports those locations.

When planning storage, make sure you:

  • Keep escape routes, stairways and fire exits clear.
  • Provide suitable signage so staff can identify equipment locations.
  • Use appropriate storage brackets or cabinets where the manufacturer recommends them.
  • Protect chairs from accidental damage, moisture and other environmental hazards.
  • Keep operating instructions accessible.
  • Allow enough space for trained staff to retrieve and prepare the chair.
  • Consider whether equipment needs to serve more than one floor or evacuation route.

Test the proposed locations during practical evacuation planning exercises.

Do not automatically install one chair on every floor or staircase without assessing the building’s needs and the resources available to operate the equipment.

Give designated staff suitable practical training before asking them to operate an evacuation chair.

Operators need more than a basic understanding of the equipment. They must know how to prepare the chair, assist the occupant and control movement on the building’s staircases.

A suitable training programme should cover:

  • Identifying the chair and checking its condition before use
  • Preparing and deploying the equipment correctly
  • Supporting safe transfers into and out of the chair
  • Securing the occupant using the appropriate restraints
  • Controlling descent on stairs and movement across landings
  • Communicating clearly and reassuringly with the occupant
  • Following the building’s evacuation procedures
  • Returning the equipment to its designated storage location

Arrange refresher training and practical exercises at intervals that reflect the manufacturer’s guidance, staff experience and building risks.

Keep training records and ensure enough competent operators are available whenever the premises are in use.

Do not limit your evacuation arrangements to employees who regularly use the building.

Visitors, contractors, customers and other occupants may also need assistance during an emergency. Some people may experience temporary mobility difficulties following an injury or medical procedure.

Consider how your organisation will:

  • Identify relevant assistance needs sensitively and appropriately
  • Explain evacuation arrangements to visitors when necessary
  • Provide suitable assistance without relying on assumptions about disability
  • Make trained operators available during meetings, events and other activities
  • Communicate with reception teams and other relevant staff
  • Adapt arrangements when a person’s mobility needs change
  • Maintain suitable alternative procedures if an evacuation chair cannot meet an individual’s needs

Where appropriate, include these arrangements in visitor management procedures and staff induction.

Make sure your emergency planning considers the needs of everyone who may reasonably use your premises.

Keep evacuation chairs in a safe and serviceable condition through routine checks and planned maintenance.

Follow the manufacturer’s inspection and servicing instructions, and consider how frequently staff use the chairs for training or emergency deployment.

Your maintenance programme should include:

  • Storage checks – Confirm that each chair remains in its designated location and staff can access it.
  • Visual inspections – Look for damage, corrosion, missing components or other obvious defects.
  • Restraint checks – Inspect straps, buckles and other occupant support components.
  • Mechanical checks – Examine tracks, wheels, handles and relevant operating mechanisms in line with the manufacturer’s instructions.
  • Competent servicing – Arrange professional maintenance at suitable intervals.
  • Post-use inspections – Check the equipment after training exercises, emergency deployment or accidental damage.
  • Maintenance records – Record inspections, defects, repairs and servicing.

Many manufacturers recommend annual professional servicing, but you should confirm the correct schedule for your equipment.

Remove defective chairs from service and arrange suitable alternative evacuation provisions until you restore or replace the equipment.

Make evacuation chair arrangements part of your wider fire safety procedures rather than treating the equipment as a separate precaution.

Review how designated operators, fire wardens and building managers will coordinate an assisted evacuation.

During planning and suitable exercises, consider:

  • How staff will identify someone who needs assistance
  • Who will retrieve and operate the evacuation chair
  • How operators will communicate with the occupant
  • Which staircases and escape routes they will use
  • How other occupants will move safely around the evacuation activity
  • What staff should do if the planned route becomes unavailable
  • How the team will confirm that everyone has reached a place of safety

Use practical training and appropriate simulations to identify problems before an emergency occurs.

Do not require an individual to take part in a physical evacuation chair exercise without considering their needs, wishes and safety.

Review the arrangements after exercises, incidents or changes to your premises.

Choose an evacuation chair provider that can explain the equipment’s capabilities, operating requirements and long-term maintenance needs.

Before purchasing equipment or arranging support, ask about:

  • Experience with commercial buildings and assisted evacuation requirements
  • Available evacuation chair models and their suitability
  • Manufacturer specifications and user weight limits
  • Practical demonstrations and operator training options
  • Storage, positioning and signage recommendations
  • Inspection and maintenance requirements
  • Replacement parts, repairs and ongoing technical support

Review your evacuation arrangements whenever you alter the building layout, change escape routes or identify new assistance needs.

SS Systems can discuss evacuation chair requirements alongside your wider commercial fire safety arrangements.

Bonus Tip: Create a simple evacuation chair register that records each chair’s location, model, serial number, inspection history and servicing dates. Include the names or roles of trained operators and review the register whenever staff responsibilities or building arrangements change. This helps your team maintain equipment readiness and identify gaps in your evacuation planning.

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