Can One Evacuation Chair Cover an Entire Building?
One of the questions I'm regularly asked is:
"If we buy one evacuation chair, will that cover the whole building?"
The honest answer is...
It depends.
There isn't a simple rule that says every building needs one evacuation chair, or that one chair is always enough.
The right answer depends on your building, the people who use it and the findings of your Fire Risk Assessment.
Start with the Fire Risk Assessment
Before deciding how many evacuation chairs you need, you should first have a suitable Fire Risk Assessment.
The assessment should consider how everyone can be evacuated safely, including anyone who may need assistance.
Where necessary, this should be supported by Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs), which identify the most appropriate evacuation arrangements for individuals.
Only then can you decide whether an evacuation chair is required and, if so, how many may be needed.
How Big Is the Building?
The size and layout of your building is one of the biggest factors.
For example, a small two-storey office with a single staircase may have very different requirements from a six-storey office block with several protected staircases.
The further an evacuation chair has to be moved before it can be used, the longer it may take to reach the person who needs assistance.
Multiple Staircases
Many larger buildings have more than one escape staircase.
If people are expected to evacuate using different staircases, you should consider whether an evacuation chair needs to be available at more than one location.
Moving a chair from one side of a large building to another during an emergency may not be practical.
This is why the location of evacuation equipment should always form part of your emergency planning.
How Many People May Need Assistance?
It's also important to consider who uses the building.
If your Fire Risk Assessment or PEEPs identify more than one person who may require assistance, a single evacuation chair may not always be sufficient.
This doesn't automatically mean every individual needs a dedicated chair, but it does mean you should think carefully about how assistance would be provided if more than one person needed to evacuate at the same time.
Simultaneous Evacuation
Fire alarms don't wait for one evacuation to finish before another begins.
If several people require assistance and are located on different floors or in different parts of the building, you should consider how your evacuation arrangements would work in practice.
Your emergency procedures should be realistic and capable of being implemented without unnecessary delay.
Do You Have Enough Trained Operators?
Having enough evacuation chairs is only part of the picture.
You also need enough trained people available to use them.
I've visited organisations where an evacuation chair was available but only one or two members of staff had received training.
What happens if they're on annual leave, working remotely or absent through illness?
When planning your evacuation arrangements, consider shift patterns, holidays and staff turnover to ensure trained operators are available whenever the building is occupied.
Where Are the Chairs Stored?
Even if you have the right number of evacuation chairs, they won't be effective if they can't be reached quickly.
I've seen chairs stored on the wrong floor, hidden in cupboards or positioned a considerable distance from the staircase where they may be needed.
Equipment should be stored where trained operators can access it quickly without obstructing escape routes.
There Isn't a Standard Number
People sometimes ask me for a simple formula:
"How many evacuation chairs should we have?"
Unfortunately, there isn't one.
Every building is different.
The number of evacuation chairs required depends on factors such as:
the findings of your Fire Risk Assessment
the number of people who may need assistance
the size and layout of the building
the number of escape staircases
occupancy levels
staffing arrangements
how your emergency evacuation procedures are organised
Think About the Whole Evacuation Plan
An evacuation chair should never be considered in isolation.
It's one part of a wider emergency evacuation strategy that includes:
a suitable Fire Risk Assessment
Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs)
trained operators
correctly positioned equipment
regular refresher training
routine inspection and maintenance
When these elements work together, organisations are far better prepared to help people evacuate safely if an emergency occurs.
My Advice
If you're wondering whether one evacuation chair is enough for your building, avoid making assumptions.
Start with your Fire Risk Assessment and consider how your evacuation arrangements would work in a real emergency.
Once you've identified what your organisation needs, I can help you choose suitable evacuation chairs, provide practical operator training and ensure your equipment remains ready for use through regular inspection and maintenance.
Getting the right number of evacuation chairs isn't about following a rule—it's about making sure your emergency arrangements are appropriate for your building and the people who rely on them.
To help assess your readiness, I’ve put together this handy Evacuation Chair Readiness Check, which you can download for free.
