The law provides that people of all abilities should be able to access any commercial or public premises. It also requires there to be methods in place to evacuate people safely in the event of a fire or other incident.
Lots of buildings are equipped with a piece of equipment designed to transport persons to safety that are unable to make the exit themselves. It is known as an evacuation chair and is designed to be used by a single operator who will be able to transport the person to safety without any heavy lifting, even if stairs are involved.
There is an issue however. Whilst lots of buildings are equipped with evacuation chairs, this does not necessarily mean there is anyone onsite trained in their safe use. This would effectively mean that, in the event of an emergency, the evacuation chair would remain in its wall bracket, doing no good for anyone.
Evacuation Chair Training for Local Councils
Alistair Bromhead Ltd is often engaged by local councils to provide evacuation chair training within their various municipal buildings such as libraries, offices and leisure centres. Unfortunately we do find that there have often been incidences where it would have been appropriate to use an evacuation chair, but there were no staff confident enough to do so.
It is often the case that when an evacuation chair is purchased, the manufacturer offers its own training. However, time passes and the people who received the training move on, leaving no one competent to take responsibility. The other problem with manufacturers providing training is that they can only cover their own models. However, as is often the case in larger buildings, there will be a range of different brands of chair present.
Not all Evacuation Chairs are Created Equal
It is important to note that not all evacuation chairs are created equal, and certain models can actually do more harm than good. It is therefore advisable to seek unbiased advice when buying chairs.
Alistair Bromhead Ltd offers two evacuation chair courses together with independent advice on choosing a chair. We are not tied to any one supplier which means our views are impartial and you can enjoy reassurance that the equipment recommended will be suitable for your particular requirements. It also means we are able to offer training on all models of evacuation chair, regardless of its manufacturer.
How Our Training Goes the Extra Mile
The two courses offered are the evacuation chair training for operators, and the evacuation chair train the trainer course which allows training to be carried out by in-house personnel, thus offering cost savings. For both courses, participants will benefit from the high level of experience and expertise of our qualified trainers who will take the training several steps further than with many other courses.
Firstly, a lot of evacuation training is based on the assumption that the evacuee can move themselves from a wheelchair into an evacuation chair. Of course, this is most certainly not always going to be the case. Our trainers will therefore include safe transfer and conduct practical exercises using cost effective people handling aids, such as transfer boards and handling belts.
Secondly, it is vital that evacuation chair operators have the knowledge to integrate good posture and safe handling technique into their chair operations so that both operator and evacuee can exit the building safely. For this reason our courses include these additional skills.
For further information or to book an in-house, bespoke course email info@abromhead.co.uk or call 07932 674707.