Health & Safety Compliance Guide

Section 1 — Legislative Framework

EverSafe Training Ltd operates within, and assists organisations in meeting, a defined body of UK legislation that places clear and enforceable duties upon building owners, employers and Responsible Persons in respect of fire safety and emergency evacuation. The principal instruments are set out below.

1.1 Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, as amended by the Fire Safety Act 2021

This Order constitutes the primary legislative instrument governing fire safety in England and Wales. It applies to all commercial premises and any building to which members of the public have access. The designated Responsible Person is required by law to:

• Carry out a suitable and sufficient Fire Risk Assessment, conducted by a competent person.
• Communicate identified risks to employees and their representatives.
• Implement and maintain appropriate fire safety measures.
• Prepare and maintain Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) for individuals who cannot self-evacuate, and Generic Emergency Evacuation Plans (GEEPs) for visitors and transient building users.
• Provide employees with adequate fire safety information, instruction and training.
• Review the Fire Risk Assessment at regular intervals and following any material change to the premises or its occupants.
• Ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that all persons on the premises are able to evacuate safely — including those with disabilities or mobility impairments.

It should be noted that responsibility for evacuating individuals from a refuge area no longer rests with the fire and rescue service. That obligation falls upon the Responsible Person, who must ensure adequate provisions are in place prior to any emergency occurring.

1.2 Health & Safety at Work Act 1974

This Act imposes a general duty upon employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of all employees and any other persons who may be affected by their undertaking. The safe evacuation of all building occupants in an emergency constitutes a core element of this duty.

All evacuation chairs supplied by EverSafe Training Ltd meet the relevant standards required under this Act, including CE/UKCA marking requirements.

1.3 Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act 2010 requires employers, building managers and service providers to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled persons are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared with non-disabled persons. In the context of fire evacuation, failure to provide a safe and accessible means of escape for a person with a mobility impairment constitutes a substantial disadvantage and gives rise to potential legal liability.

For reference, the Equality Act 2010 consolidates and supersedes the following earlier enactments:

• Sex Discrimination Act 1975
• Race Relations Act 1976
• Disability Discrimination Act 1995

1.4 Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER)

Evacuation chairs are classified as Class 1 Medical Devices and accordingly fall within the scope of PUWER. This regulation places a duty on organisations to ensure that work equipment — including evacuation chairs — is suitable for its intended purpose, properly maintained, and operated only by suitably trained personnel.

Powered evacuation chairs may additionally fall within the scope of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER), which may require a thorough inspection every six months.

1.5 Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 — Martyn’s Law

This Act introduces statutory obligations upon public-facing venues to plan for and take protective action against terrorist threats. Obligations are tiered according to venue capacity:

• Standard Tier: premises and events with a capacity of 200–799 persons.
• Enhanced Tier: premises and events with a capacity of 800 or more persons.

An implementation period of at least 24 months applies from 3 April 2025 before the Act’s provisions come into force.

1.6 Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025

These Regulations introduce a framework applicable to relevant residential buildings, requiring Responsible Persons to take reasonable steps to identify residents who may be unable to evacuate independently and to make appropriate arrangements for their evacuation. Where required, a Person-Centred Fire Risk Assessment (PCFRA) must be undertaken, recorded in writing, and shared with the relevant Fire and Rescue Service.

1.7 Applicable British Standards

Compliance with the following British Standards is indicative of a high standard of fire safety and inclusive design:

• BS 9999:2017 — Fire safety in the design, management and use of buildings, including emergency evacuation for persons with mobility impairments.
• BS 8300-2:2018 — Design of buildings and their approaches to meet the needs of disabled people.
• Building Regulations Approved Document M — Access to and use of buildings.

Section 2 — Evacuation Planning: PEEPs and GEEPs

The Responsible Person is required to develop, implement and regularly review evacuation plans for all building users. Two categories of plan are required under the legislative framework.

2.1 Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs)

A PEEP is required for any employee or regular building user who has a permanent or temporary impairment that prevents them from self-evacuating. Each PEEP must be individual to the person concerned and must set out:

• The individual’s specific requirements in an emergency.
• The agreed evacuation route and the method of evacuation to be used.
• The name or names of those designated to provide assistance.
• A programme of fire drills and tests to verify that the plan remains effective and fit for purpose.

2.2 Generic Emergency Evacuation Plans (GEEPs)

A GEEP is required to address the evacuation needs of visitors, members of the public and any transient workforce. A GEEP must include:

• Guidance on the building layout and available evacuation routes.
• Details of evacuation equipment and communication devices available within the building.
• A programme of regular testing to ensure that relevant staff are informed and prepared.

Section 3 — Evacuation Chairs: Legal Status

Evacuation chairs are not named as a mandatory requirement in any specific provision of UK primary or secondary legislation. However, the legislative framework described in Section 1 makes clear that the Responsible Person must provide a practicable means of escape for all building occupants, including those with mobility impairments.

In multi-storey buildings or premises with limited accessibility, an evacuation chair is, in practice, the most effective means of discharging this obligation. The requirement for such equipment is routinely identified through the Fire Risk Assessment process and through the development of PEEPs. Failure to provide adequate evacuation equipment in circumstances where it is identified as necessary may constitute a breach of the duties imposed under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Equality Act 2010.

Section 4 — Services Provided by EverSafe Training Ltd

EverSafe Training Ltd provides a range of services to assist organisations in meeting their obligations under the legislation described in this document.

4.1 Evacuation Equipment

EverSafe Training Ltd supplies evacuation chairs and associated emergency evacuation equipment selected to meet the requirements of varied building types, staircase configurations and user needs. All equipment supplied meets applicable UK safety standards, including CE/UKCA marking requirements.

4.2 Training

The provision of appropriate equipment does not, of itself, discharge the obligation to ensure that personnel are competent to operate it. EverSafe Training Ltd delivers certified training programmes across the United Kingdom, tailored to the specific environment and personnel of each client organisation. Train the Trainer programmes are also available to develop internal training capability. All programmes are designed and delivered in accordance with applicable UK fire safety and equality legislation.

4.3 Evacuation Assessments

Specialists employed by EverSafe Training Ltd carry out structured assessments of client premises, evaluating staircase configuration, evacuation routes, refuge and assembly points, and the requirements of individuals subject to PEEPs. The purpose of such assessments is to ensure that appropriate equipment is correctly positioned and that evacuation plans are operationally sound and legally defensible.

4.4 Servicing and Maintenance

PUWER requires that evacuation chairs be maintained in a safe and serviceable condition. EverSafe Training Ltd provides annual inspection and servicing packages carried out by competent engineers. Each service includes visual inspection, manual adjustment, cleaning, lubrication, functional testing on stairs and the application of a dated service label. Full service records are maintained to support compliance audit requirements. Where powered chairs are also subject to LOLER, inspection frequency requirements are noted at Section 1.4 above.

4.5 Consultancy

EverSafe Training Ltd provides a consultancy service to assist organisations in understanding their obligations under applicable legislation, identifying gaps in existing provision, and establishing a compliant and practicable compliance framework. Advice is available in respect of PEEP and GEEP development, Fire Risk Assessment requirements and the selection of appropriate equipment.

Section 5 — Summary of Responsible Person Obligations

The following represents a summary of the principal duties incumbent upon the Responsible Person. It is not exhaustive and should be read alongside the legislative instruments referenced in Section 1.

• Conduct a suitable and sufficient Fire Risk Assessment, carried out by a competent person, and review it regularly.
• Develop, implement and maintain PEEPs for all individuals who are unable to self-evacuate.
• Develop and maintain a GEEP covering visitors and any transient building users.
• Ensure that appropriate evacuation equipment is in place, correctly positioned and accessible.
• Ensure that all relevant personnel are trained in the safe and effective use of evacuation equipment.
• Maintain and service all evacuation equipment in accordance with PUWER and, where applicable, LOLER.
• Maintain records of all assessments, training, maintenance activities and evacuation drills.
• Review all plans and assessments whenever there is a material change to the building, its use or its occupants.

For enquiries regarding any of the services described in Section 4, or for further information regarding your legal obligations, contact EverSafe Training Ltd at hello@eversafetraining.co.uk or on 01423 601005.

EverSafe Training Ltd · Co. No. 15485098 · VAT No. 468 8234 49 · ICO Reg. ZB832432 · Compliance & Legal · Version 1.0 · April 2026