According to the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), evacuation procedures should take into account any special or additional measures needed to evacuate people with disabilities safely. It is important to acknowledge their risk and ensure they are considered in your fire prevention plans.
Did you know?
People living with disabilities are considered high risk in the event of a fire. Although South African statistics of people with disabilities are unknown, the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates a minimum of 10% for developing countries, such as South Africa, is reasonable for purposes of employment equity planning.
The importance of smoke alarms where people have hearing impairments
Smoke alarms are essential in buildings, especially where fire sprinklers are not required. They allow people to become aware of danger and time to safely evacuate a building in the event of a fire. However, sound alone is not a solution for those that are hearing impaired.
In South Africa, the product availability for smoke alarms or detectors have evolved and now include multisensors with an integrated design which include smoke/heat detection, sounder and beacon (strobe light) in a single device. The sounder allows those with visual impairment to become aware of an emergency, and the beacon/strobe light flashes to bring awareness to those with hearing
impairment of an emergency.
To ensure this essential fire equipment is operational in an emergency, ensure that you have your smoke detectors serviced regularly at the dates provided by your fire protection company. Another tip to ensure they are operational is to have fire drills every few months.
The importance of evacuation routes where people are physically disabled
We need to understand and acknowledge that disabilities are not only physical but can be mental as well. It is our responsibility as employers or landlords of buildings to ensure that people living with disabilities are able to evacuate a building safely.
Planning escape routes according to people’s capabilities
- Teach them two routes to escape the building
- Where possible, place their desks in close proximity to an exit
- Where possible, place them closest to the ground floor when in a multistorey building
Establishing a buddy system to increase fire safety
Even though installing the correct fire protection equipment and planning escape routes already assist people living with disabilities, establishing a buddy system may help them even more.
For every disabled person in the workplace, ensure they have a buddy assigned to them that will help guide them safely out of the building through dedicated escape routes.
People living with disabilities are struggling to overcome the handicapping
conditions of society and the environment, so let’s acknowledge them by making
them feel safer in the workplace