We supply affordable EMERGENCY EVACUATION DIAGRAMS AND SIGNS

LEGISLATION AND STANDARDS RELATING TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF EVACUATION DIAGRAMS AND SIGNS: The Australian government wants nothing more than to ensure that their citizens are going to be safe and secure in the time of an emergency or natural disaster. It is in line with this goal that they have mandated everyone – private or public establishments alike – to follow strict guidelines pertaining to emergency procedures. In all states of Australia, Section 3.5 of AS3745 2010, otherwise known as “Planning for Emergencies in Facilities,” requires companies and buildings to have Evacuation Diagrams in all facilities (including common areas when referring to multi-tenanted buildings). In Queensland, it is also a requirement of the Qld Building Fire Safety Regulations 2008 Sections 18, 29 and 30. Other Standards, such as AS4083 2010 ‘Planning for Emergencies in Health Care Facilities’ and legislation such as Health and Safety Regulations, should also be taken into consideration dependent on the type of facility that the diagrams are to be placed. Tweet this: The Australian government wants nothing more than to ensure that their citizens are going to be safe and secure in the time of an emergency or natural disaster. WHAT IS AN EVACUATION DIAGRAM AND WHY DO WE REQUIRE THEM: An Evac Diagram is a tool that shows the floor plan of a facility and provides Emergency and Evacuation information to advice occupants of: * Where they are spatially in a facility as indicated by the ‘You are here’ sign, and how to escape an emergency via the nearest safe exit. * Where the fire equipment, such as extinguishers, hose reels, hydrants, MCP’s, WIP’s, Exits, Egress paths, Fire blankets, FIP, etc. is, in relation to where they are standing at the ‘You are here’ point. * Where the Assembly area is in relation to the facility, which also shows the egress paths from the facility to the Assembly area. The Evacuation Diagram will typically also show the Site Plan (showing the Assembly area and egress paths from the building) as well as the Emergency Procedures to follow. The diagram should also have a clear and concise Legend describing what the symbols used on the diagrams are. Quite simply, these diagrams can save lives. It is very likely that some people will not be able to handle the stress that the emergency situation brings, and so will unfortunately forget all that the Emergency Training has taught them, thus falling into panic. These diagrams, along with the support of the other staff members who are more in control of themselves, could help the panic-stricken individual get to safety and keep from injury. MINIMUM AND OPTIONAL ELEMENTS ON AND EVACUATION DIAGRAM: There are 14 minimum elements that need to be included on the Evacuation diagrams which can be found in AS3745 2010 Section 3.5.5. OPTIONAL ELEMENTS MAY ALSO BE USED ON AN EVACUATION DIAGRAM: * There are 8 optional elements that may be used on an evacuation diagram which can be found in AS3745 2010 section 3.5.6 NUMBER AND LOCATION OF DIAGRAMS: The diagrams should be located along the path of egress and displayed in locations where occupants and visitors are able to view them. The Emergency Planning Committee is in charge of determining the number and location of Evac diagrams required, depending on the size and scope of the facility. It is also mandated that these diagrams are going to be placed in a well-lit area, as well as in paths or hallways with the most traffic. Tweet this: The diagrams should be located along the path of egress and displayed in locations where occupants and visitors are able to view them. POSITION OF DIAGRAMS: The Evacuation Diagrams should be positioned at a height of between 1200mm and 1600 mm from the floor level. Ideally, it should be visible enough that people will, on a daily basis, be passing through it, and will be able to glance at it enough such that they will be able to commit it to memory. ORIENTATION: Evac Diagrams require to be correctly oriented to the building in which they are placed relevant to the ‘You are Here’ point. The site plan, if displayed on the Evacuation Diagram must be oriented the same way as the Floor Plan. SIZE OF DIAGRAMS: The minimum size of an evacuation diagram using only minimum elements is A4. The pictorial size of the Floor plan shall be at least 200mm x 150mm. The minimum size of an evacuation diagram using any of the optional elements, as well as minimum elements, shall be A3. The pictorial size of the floor plan should then be A4 (210mm x 297mm). UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE STANDARDS AND REGULATIONS At the end of the day, these evacuation diagrams demonstrate to you where you are within a facility and how to escape to the nearest and safest point of exit that will lead you to the appointed Assembly area for a successful evacuation. While it is up to the Emergency Planning Committee to take care of these safety logistics, it is equally up to the occupants of the building or facility to make sure they are well-aware of the information provided by the diagram. They should also keep aware of where the fire stair exits, extinguishers, MCP (Manual call points), WIP’s (Warden Intercommunication phone) and other fixed fire equipment are located within their facility in the event that activating an alarm or extinguishing a small fire is required. For this reason, General and First Response training is also a requirement for all employees within a facility under these Standards and Regulations. This training topic will be covered in a future blog. If your company needs help in developing your emergency evacuation diagrams, or would like us to review the compliance of your existing diagrams, please feel free to contact us for an obligation free discussion with our friendly consultants. We are a nationally recognised specialist provider in the production of emergency evacuation diagrams and signs for all industry sectors including, but not limited to: - hotels and accommodation units; - aged care facilities; - commercial and retail properties; - schools, universities and child care; - body corporate. All evacuation signs and diagrams produced by EVACONLINE

We supply to the following states:

QLD - QUEENSLAND

NSW - NEW SOUTH WALES

VIC - VICTORIA

ACT - AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

TAS - TASMANIA

NT - NORTHERN TERRITORY

WA - WESTERN AUSTRALIA

SA - SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Evaconline comply with relevant State Legislation, Australian Standards and OH&S requirements.

Our evacuation diagrams and evacuation signs are produced to the most stringent Australian legislation, QLD Building Fire Safety Regulations 2008, in conjunction with Australian Standard 3745-2010 Planning for Emergencies in Facilities, to ensure your company not only meets your State or Territory requirements but exceeds them, thus providing a best practice approach for your company. Evacuation signs and evacuation diagrams are paramount to your business safety. As a business, you have a legal responsibility to ensure a safe work environment for your workers. Part of that duty of care includes providing instruction in case of an emergency. In addition to fire evacuation procedures, it also means your site must display evacuation signs and evacuation diagrams that meet certain standards. evaconline evacuation signs and evacuation diagrams meet those standards. Our signs include all of the vital information that a business needs to be safe, so you’ll be confident that your team is informed, and your business is 100% compliant with government regulation. Simple to read and easy to use, Evaconline signs also include a built-in diagram that indicates exactly where you are located in the building, the route to your nearest exit, the location of fire alarms and fire fighting equipment, and the designated assembly area outside the building. Take a look at the types of emergency signs and evacuation diagrams that Evaconline can offer you.