Evacuation chairs

An evacuation chair is a chair designed to be used to transport a person down stairs during an evacuation. The track system glides down the stairs easily and smoothly to ensure no heavy moving or handling is required.

Why do you need an emergency evacuation chair?

There is a legal requirement for employers and building owners to ensure the safe evacuation of mobility impaired persons in the event of an emergency. Anyone permitted into a building must be safely evacuated in the event of an emergency without relying on rescue by the emergency services.

How do you know if you need an evacuation chair?

Your risk assessment of your building should identify if you have any persons (staff, students or others) who would not be able to self-evacuate in an emergency due to mobility issues, alternatively a personal emergency evacuation plan (PEEP) may identify that an evacuation chair is required.
 

HSW recommended evacuation chair

The Health, Safety and Wellbeing Service recommend the Globex multi evacuation chair. This chair enables one person to evacuate a physically impaired person safely and easily downstairs and for two people to carry one person upstairs and, if necessary over obstructions. It also doubles as a wheelchair.

There are also a number of chairs from the company Evac Chair currently in operation throughout the University.

Purchasing an evacuation chair

Faculties and Services are responsible for purchasing evacuation chairs for their areas. For information on where to order them from, please contact hsw@auckland.ac.nz

Document Control
Version: Version 1.0
Last Updated: Feb 2023
Next Review: Feb 2026
Owner: hsw@auckland.ac.nz
Approver: Associate Director, Health Safety & Wellbeing

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