Consider this, if you have a mobility impairment, how do you leave a building upper floor?

You may well have entered the building aided by lifts, escalators or platform lifts, however they are unlikely to be available during an emergency, therefore escape will be by means of a protected stairwell.It is intended that persons requiring assistance will congregate at a place of relative safety; such as a protected stairwell. These areas are referred to as a refuge area. From here assistance can be summoned by the use of Emergency Voice Communication System or EVCS.

Requirement for an Emergency Assistance Alarm System

Under the Equality Act, building owners have a duty of care to ensure the safety of all building occupants, especially those less able.

Buildings Regulations Approved Document M provides the requirements for these systems which applies to all buildings other than pure dwelling places. This requires the fitting of emergency assistance alarm systems to allow users of the disabled facilities to call for help should they need it. BS8300 provides additional guidance on the implementation of this requirement.

The “Assist Call” system is designed to provide a fully compliant and scalable solution to building owners with many unique benefits, including clear indication, acoustic and visual feedback and high quality, stainless steel finishes blending into all locations.

Where Emergency Assistance Alarm Systems are located remotely they should report back to a central position, i.e. a manned reception. The Lexicomm Assist Call system provides this and meets the requirement for “Acknowledge” so the occupant will receive audible and visual feedback that the call has been received and help is on the way.