Facilities management disability and emergency evacuation

Developments in recent years in safety legislation have shifted the burden of responsibility for safety to the owners and managers of facilities. This shift has occurred following a period in which increased accessibility to buildings and facilities for disabled people has been provided, and these to an increasing extent are being used by disabled people. Since most fires are accidental and therefore preventable, prevention has primacy. However, given a fire the facilities manager must be confident that procedures in place are sufficient to ensure safe evacuation of the premises if necessary.