As a business owner, you have a legal duty under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 to provide and maintain safe emergency routes and exits from your premises. This ensures that all occupants can evacuate safely in the event of a fire. Here’s what you need to know to meet these requirements.
1. Why Emergency Routes and Exits Are Important
Emergency routes and exits are essential for the safety of anyone in a building, providing a clear, safe path to escape during a fire or other emergency. Their primary purpose is to enable a quick and safe evacuation, minimising the risk of injury or loss of life.
2. Your Legal Responsibilities
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, business owners (or the "responsible person") must:
- Provide appropriate emergency routes and exits that lead directly to a place of total safety. For example, anyone evacuating your premises must be able to leave the premises and move completely away to total safety. If the exit route leads people evacuating to a small courtyard where the exit gate is locked with a padlock, they could still be risk from a fire.
- Ensure routes and exits are kept clear and accessible at all times.
- Regularly maintain emergency routes and exit signs to ensure they remain visible and functional.
- Conduct a fire risk assessment to identify potential hazards and ensure that escape routes remain suitable for the number and needs of occupants.
Failure to comply with these legal duties can result in fines or prosecution, especially if a fire occurs and escape routes were found to be inadequate or obstructed.
3. Key Features of Emergency Escape Routes and Exits
To comply with the regulations, emergency routes and exits must include the following features:
A) Adequate Number and Location
1. Sufficient Number of Exits: The number of exits should be appropriate for the building's size, layout, and number of occupants.
- For larger premises, multiple exits may be necessary.
- For really small shops, the customer entrance & exit door may be suitable.
2. Easy to Reach: Emergency exits should be located in a way that allows people to reach them quickly from any area of the building.
B) Clear and Unobstructed Pathways
- No Blockages: Emergency routes must remain free from obstructions like equipment, furniture, or storage. Blocked paths can delay evacuation and put lives at risk.
- Wide Enough to Accommodate All Occupants: Escape routes should be wide enough to allow all occupants, including those with disabilities, to evacuate safely.
C) Signage
Emergency exits and escape routes must be clearly marked with signs that are easy to see, even in low visibility conditions.
D) Emergency Lighting
If the power fails, emergency lighting may be needed to illuminate escape routes and exits to guide occupants safely out of the building. However, it may not be necessary to invest money in fitting an emergency lighting system. In really small businesses with uncomplicated layouts, it may be suitable to rely on street lighting to illuminate exit routes or have emergency lighting torches kept at suitable locations for use in the event of the lights failing.
E) Final exit doors
- Emergency exit doors must open easily and be accessible without the use of a key. Doors that require a code or swipe card are not suitable for emergency exits.
- In areas where large numbers of people are present, doors should open in the direction of escape to allow for a swift evacuation.
F) Fire Doors
If your business has any fire doors along escape routes, they should be kept closed or fitted with automatic closing devices in case of fire.
4. Maintaining and Testing Emergency Routes and Exits
- Conduct regular checks to ensure that all emergency routes and exits are clear and functional. Pay attention to any changes in building layout or storage that may impact escape routes.
- Ensure that emergency signs are visible, and lighting is working correctly. Test emergency lighting regularly to confirm it functions in a power outage.
- Carry out fire drills at least annually to ensure all employees are familiar with evacuation procedures and routes.
Understanding and implementing these features will help you comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and ensure the safety of your premises, employees, and visitors.
For an exact assessment of your risks please contact a competent fire risk assessor who will be able to assist you in this matter. Please see our page on Fire Risk Assessments here.