Evacuation Chair Training

Evacuation Chair Training

Evacuation Chair Training provides staff with the practical skills and confidence to safely assist individuals with limited mobility during emergency evacuations.

The course covers chair setup, secure transfer techniques, stair descent procedures, and risk assessment—all aligned with health and safety regulations. This ensures your designated person understands how to operate the safety chair.

Learners engage in hands-on practice to ensure competence in using evacuation chairs across various settings, including care homes, schools, hospitals, and workplaces.

This training is essential for meeting fire safety obligations and ensuring inclusive evacuation plans. Without training, evacuation efforts may be delayed, unsafe, or legally non-compliant.

The Evacuation Chair course aligns with key regulations, including the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, and Manual Handling Operations Regulations.

Delivered by experienced trainers, it supports compliance, reduces risk, and promotes dignity in emergency response. Suitable for staff at all levels.

📌Related: Moving and Handling of People Training.

Course Information:

• Course Duration: 3-5 hours
• Course Level: Level 2
• Certificate: 2-year certificate
• Max Delegates: 12
• Practical: Yes
• Course Mode: Face to Face

📌Related: Level 3 Emergency First Aid at Work Course.

Importance of Evac Chair Course

The importance of evacuation chair course is very high:

• Better safety: Staff who are trained can safely help people with mobility issues during emergencies, making it safer for everyone.
• Legal rules: Training helps follow the laws and safety rules that are needed in the workplace.
• More confidence: Staff feel ready to handle emergency situations, which helps reduce panic.
• Quicker responses: Trained staff can evacuate people faster and more efficiently.
• Lower risk of injury: Knowing how to use the chair correctly helps prevent accidents and injuries.
• Practical skills: Staff can practise using the chairs in emergency situations, so they’re ready if needed.
• Familiarity with the equipment: The training shows how to use the specific evacuation chairs in the building.
• Regular updates: Regular training helps staff keep their skills fresh, especially if they don’t use the chairs often.
• Empowerment: Staff can help people with mobility issues better, making the environment safer for everyone.
• Emergency readiness: The course also covers emergency plans and important rules.

Credit: Emergency Live

Who Should Take Evacuation Chair Training?

• Fire Wardens – People who lead evacuations during emergencies.
• First Aiders – Healthcare staff who help with medical emergencies.
• Staff Involved in Emergency Evacuations – Any worker who might help evacuate others.
• Security Personnel – Staff who make sure people are safe and secure during emergencies.
• Care Home Staff – Caregivers who assist people with mobility problems during evacuations.
• Facility Managers – People who manage safety plans and procedures.
• Transport Workers – Staff who help people move safely in and out of buildings, like at airports or train stations.
• Any Worker in a Building with Mobility-Impaired People – Any staff member who works in a place where people with disabilities may need help during an evacuation

These individuals need to know how to use evacuation chairs properly to ensure everyone’s safety during emergencies. The main goal is to make sure trained staff can handle emergencies and keep people who need help safe during evacuations.

Course Content

• Learn why evacuation chairs are important and where they should be placed.
• Understand why it’s important to have evacuation plans.
• Make sure to find out who might need help during an emergency.
• Learn how medical conditions and disabilities can affect staff when helping people leave during an emergency.
• Spot possible problems that could happen during an evacuation.
• Learn safe ways to lift people and avoid getting hurt.
• Practice using the evacuation chair in the place where you work.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this evacuation chair training course, participants will be able to:

1. Explain the purpose of evacuation chairs and identify their best placement for effective use during emergencies.
2. Discuss the importance of detailed evacuation plans, including exit strategies and communication protocols.
3. Develop and implement Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) for individuals needing additional support.
4. Recognise the impact of disabilities and medical conditions on evacuation and recommend suitable strategies for individuals with complex needs.
5. Identify challenges, such as panic or limited accessibility, during evacuation and propose solutions to reduce these risks.
6. Apply manual handling techniques to safely assist individuals during evacuation, reducing injury risks for both individuals and helpers.
7. Demonstrate practical skills in using evacuation chairs through hands-on training and real-world application.
8. Assess evacuation readiness by conducting risk assessments and recommending improvements based on drills and debriefs.

Course Benefits

Safe evacuation chair training offers vital benefits for both individuals and organisations, especially in settings where accessibility and emergency preparedness are critical.

Key Benefits Includes:

• Legal Compliance: Meets obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 by ensuring safe evacuation for people with reduced mobility.
• Improved Safety for All: Enables safe, efficient evacuation of individuals who cannot use stairs during emergencies, reducing risk of injury or delay.
• Staff Confidence and Readiness: Builds practical skills and calm decision-making under pressure, helping staff act quickly and effectively in real scenarios.
• Inclusive Emergency Planning: Demonstrates commitment to accessibility and inclusion, ensuring no one is left behind during evacuations.
• Reduced Liability: Minimises risk of legal action or reputational damage by ensuring trained personnel are equipped to assist safely.
• Enhanced Team Coordination: Promotes clear roles and communication during evacuations, improving overall emergency response.

Safety chair training ensures your staff can evacuate individuals with reduced mobility confidently and correctly during emergencies.

Career Opportunities

Here are some career opportunities for individuals with this training:

1. Fire Safety Officer – You could work in various workplaces, ensuring safety protocols are in place and managing emergency evacuation plans, especially for people with mobility issues.
2. Emergency Evacuation Assistant – Many public places, like shopping centres, office buildings, and hospitals, hire individuals trained to assist with evacuations during emergencies.
3. Security Personnel – In this role, you’d be responsible for ensuring safe evacuation procedures are followed, particularly for people with mobility difficulties, and you’d use your evacuation chair training to help.
4. Care Home Assistant – In care homes, your skills would be needed to help evacuate residents, especially those with limited mobility, in the event of an emergency.
5. Health & Safety Officer – Many organisations, including factories, schools, and healthcare facilities, need professionals to develop and manage safety procedures, including evacuation plans for people with disabilities.
6. Facility Manager – You might be responsible for the safety and management of buildings, ensuring evacuation chairs and emergency procedures are in place for staff and visitors with mobility impairments.
7. Transport Worker – If you work in places like airports or train stations, your training could help with evacuating people who need extra assistance during an emergency.

This training helps you stand out and gives you a special skill that many employers in these fields highly value.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How long does an evac chair training course last?

Our Evacuation chair training typically lasts 2 to 3 hours, depending on your group size and delivery format. This duration allows for both theory and hands-on practice, ensuring  your staff can confidently operate the chair, follow safe manual handling techniques, and respond effectively during emergencies.

Regular refreshers are recommended to maintain competence and legal compliance.

2. Do you offer this course face to face or virtual?

Caring for Care offers Evacuation Chair Training face-to-face or virtually, but due to the essential practical component, onsite delivery is strongly recommended.

This ensures staff can safely operate the equipment in line with Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requirements, which mandate effective evacuation procedures for individuals with reduced mobility during emergencies.

Face-to-face training strengthens team cohesion, encourages shared learning, and builds trust through real-time interaction, hands-on practice, and personalised support from our trainer.

3. When Should the Safety Chair training be refreshed?

Although the certificate is valid for three years, we believe practical skills can fade quickly.

Safe Evacuation Chair courses should be renewed every two years to ensure staff remain confident, competent, and compliant with the HSE & Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Regular refreshers reinforce safe techniques, update teams on best practices, and reduce legal risk—especially in high-pressure emergency scenarios.

4. Who Can Use Evacuation Safety Chair ?

No, not just anyone can use an evacuation chair.

Only trained and designated staff should operate an evacuation chair, as evacuation chairs are classified as Class 1 Medical Devices and require proper instruction to ensure safe, effective use.

Under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, employers must ensure operators are competent. While anyone may need to be evacuated, only trained staff should use the chair to prevent injury, strain, or legal risk.

5. Is it a legal requirement to have an EVAC chair?

While UK law doesn’t specifically mandate evacuation chairs, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires employers to ensure safe evacuation for all occupants, including those with reduced mobility.

In multi-storey buildings, evacuation chairs are widely recognised as a reasonable adjustment to meet this duty. Under PUWER 1998, any provided equipment must be safe and used by trained staff.

6. What businesses need the Evacuation Safety Chair Course?

The evacuation safety chair training is essential for multi-storey workplaces, including care homes, hospitals, schools, offices, hotels, and public venues.

Any business with staff, visitors, or service users who may struggle with stair evacuation during emergencies has a legal duty under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 to ensure safe escape routes.

Training equips designated staff to use the chair confidently, reducing risk, meeting compliance, and protecting lives in high-pressure situations.

7. What Are the Responsibilities of Employers and Staff in Safe Evacuation?

Employers must ensure evacuation chairs are available where needed and that trained, competent staff are appointed to operate them, in line with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and PUWER 1998.

Staff have a duty to follow procedures, use equipment safely, and support evacuation plans. Both parties share responsibility for maintaining readiness, reducing risk, and protecting individuals with reduced mobility during emergencies.

8. What are the benefits of face to face/virtual over e-learning?

Face-to-face and virtual evacuation chair training benefit both new and existing staff by building confidence, meeting standards, and reducing risk.

Live instruction allows for hands-on practice or real-time Q&A, helping new staff learn correct techniques and enabling experienced staff to refresh skills and avoid complacency.

These formats support safe evacuation procedures and ensure staff are prepared to use equipment effectively in emergency situations.

9. Can one person operate an evacuation chair?

E-learning evacuation chair courses are useful for gaining quick, foundational knowledge to support day-to-day awareness—but they lack the practical assessment needed for safe operation.

Yes—one trained person can operate an evacuation chair, provided the equipment is designed for solo use and the operator is confident and competent.

Chairs must be deployed correctly and manoeuvred with care, especially on stairs. Training ensures safe handling, protects both parties from injury, and meets workplace safety standards for emergency evacuation.

10. What Could Happen If Staff Aren’t Trained to Use Evacuation Safety Chairs?

Not training staff in evacuation safety chair use can lead to unsafe handling, delayed evacuations, and increased injury risk for both operator and evacuee. Staff may misuse equipment, panic during emergencies, or refuse to assist due to lack of confidence.

This exposes organisations to legal consequences, invalidated insurance, and potential breaches of duty under fire safety standards. Proper Safety chair training is essential for preparedness and compliance. This can be done in one day for all your staff.

11. What courses pair well with this training?

Courses that pair well with evacuation chair training include fire safety awareness, manual handling, and emergency first aid. These enhance staff readiness by reinforcing safe movement techniques, risk assessment, and emergency response.

For care and education settings, safeguarding and disability awareness also complement evacuation training, supporting inclusive, confident, and compliant evacuation procedures.

As I have told others... It is the best, most informative training I have ever attended