Disability and Fire Safety 

The 'responsible person' when writing the risk assessment should identify any person for whom special evacuation arrangements may need to be made by virture of their age, state of health and physical and mental abilities, or, in some circumstancs, their location and activity on the premises.  This may result in a personal evacuation plan (peep) being written for individuals with disabilities.

Recent changes in legislation have led to new Codes of Practice and guidance documents. 

Below is a list of documents and links that give information on Fire Safety requirements for disabled people under the most appropriate heading.

Building Regulations - Access and Use of Buildings

The Building Regulations  Approved Document M 

The Building Regulations Approved Document B  Volume 2: Buildings other than Dwelling Houses (PDF 4876 Kb)

British Standards

BS 5588: Fire Precautions in the design, construction and use of buildings Part 8: Code of practice for means of escape for disabled people

BS 8300:2001 Design of buildings and their approaches to meet the needs of disabled people - Code of practice 

British standards and publications for fire - www.bsi-global.com 

Fire Safety Guides for Different Uses of Premises

Fire Safety Law and Guidance Documents for Business

Supplementary Guide - Means of Escape for Disabled Persons

Equality and Human Rights Commission

The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) closed on 28 September 2007. Its responsibility for helping secure civil rights for disabled people has transferred to the new Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Equality and Human Rights Commission website