Evacuation of persons who may have difficulty

This may include people who use wheelchairs or walking aids; people who have difficulty with stairs or walking distances; people with vision or hearing difficulties; children; persons with mental difficulties. Temporary difficulties will be addressed as seriously as permanent ones.

The vast majority of areas of our buildings are safe for those who may have difficulty however there are some areas which are not. Additional arrangements may be required and will be arranged.

Employees and students who may have difficulties should contact the University Fire Officer. A PEEP (Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan) will be prepared considering their personal circumstance. Visitors who have come via Venue Essex or Communication and External Relations will be dealt with by them, the Hotel has separate arrangements. More information is available here.

Employees or students who have visitors who may have difficulty are required to notify the Fire Safety Officer before or on their arrival on campus; the Security Staff will perform this function out of hours. People being visited will be required to take responsibility for providing assistance; this may be devolved to other persons willing to assist.

The Health & Safety Advisory Service, Security staff, Venue Essex or Communication and External Relations will record all such visitors; provide advice and make reasonable arrangements. This may include:

Encouraging, or arranging, visitors to use the most suitable areas. At worst, limiting the time they are in less suitable areas.

Specific advice on evacuation from the areas they may use.

Advice that they should evacuate horizontally into an area where the alarms are not operating or authorisation to use specially adapted lifts.

Ensuring the visitor and helpers know to summon assistance in an emergency.

Reassure visitors that, in a worst case scenario, they are safe from fire in a room for a minimum of 30minutes and in a Disabled Refuge or staircase enclose for a minimum of 1hr.

Checking that a trained person is available to use any specialist evacuation equipment.

Arranging for Patrol Staff to prioritise their location if an alarm activates.

Venue Essex and Communication and External Relations will notify the Information Desk of the arrival of relevant people, the areas they will be using and any arrangements they have made.

Location and access maps for the Colchester campus can be found here:

Campus access map: http://www.essex.ac.uk/about/getting_here/maps/colchester_access_map.pdf

Find your way app:http://findyourway.essex.ac.uk/RL3/UEssexC.php

Variations for Southend Campus

Visitors who have come the BIC section will be dealt with by them.

The Reception Desk staff will record all such persons presence on site; provide advice and make reasonable arrangements. This may include:

· Encouraging, or arranging for, visitors to avoid or limit time spent in Core 3.

· Authorisation to use and positions of the evacuation lifts.

· Ensuring the visitor and helpers know the refuge procedure.

· Reassure visitors that, in a worst case scenario, they are safe from fire in a room for a minimum of 30 minutes and in a Disabled Refuge or staircase enclose for a minimum of 2hrs.

· Notifying Facilities Management staff.