Evacuation Chair Instructors Course

Access to buildings for people with disabilities has attracted considerable attention in recent years. A great deal of work has been done to improve the accessibility of public buildings for people with disabilities.

Many public bodies have done accessibility audits, and related improvement works to meet their obligations under Section 25 of the Disability Act 2005. Equality legislation enacted over the last decade also requires public bodies to provide for the needs of their employees and customers with disabilities. In many cases, public bodies aim to go beyond their minimum legal obligations to create environments that are universally accessible to as wide a group as possible.

An evacuation chair for stairs can be used to safely move people with mobility impairments in emergency evacuation situations, depending on the user’s physical requirements. Anyone responsible for operating an evacuation chair must receive proper training to ensure they are competent in its use and can use the evacuation chair correctly and safely. The course is designed to enable an individual to deliver staff training utilising evacuation equipment safely and in a controlled manner.

All buildings (evacuation chair regulations) above or below the ground floor level where the upper or lower floors are accessible using a staircase require evacuation devices placed on each escape stairwell. It is also essential to assess the suitability of the evacuation chair chosen based on the occupant’s profile in the building. The higher the level of dependency of the occupants within the building will increase the number of evacuation chairs and the level of training required.

The Evacuation Chair Instructors Course trains learners to use evacuation chairs for stairs correctly and how to train others in its proper use confidently. Upon successfully completing the course, learners will be able to provide training to other staff members so that they can be evacuation chair operators without any significant risk to the operator’s own health and safety. A practical approach is taken to ensure plenty of hands-on practice to build confidence both with the chair and the training elements.

Phoenix STS is the only company authorised in Ireland to provide train-the-trainer courses on the Elite Emergency Evacuation Chair. The Evacuation Chair Instructors Course is conducted according to manufacturer’s recommendations and guidelines, with a maximum of two learners per course. To be deemed competent to provide training on the use of “ExitMasters” evacuation equipment, you must hold a current instructor certificate.

Our tutors undergo extensive refresher training every three years to ensure they are certified to deliver training to the highest possible standard. Phoenix STS ensures that our tutors are current with manufacturer’s requirements, ensure that you meet your legal obligations and be kept up to date with new regulations in emergency escape procedures for all, including the mobility impaired, by being trained by our official recognised tutors.

Upon completing the course, all learners will be able to safely use the evacuation chair according to their organisations moving and handling procedures to avoid the risk of manual handling injuries to both themselves and the person being evacuated.

A suitable location for practical activities is required to complete this course (staff who assist learners will be certified as trained in the use of an evacuation chair by Phoenix STS).

Course Aims

• To enable you to instruct the learner in the safe use of an evacuation chair
• The safety of the chair passenger and chair occupant when required to be evacuated with on evacuation chair

Course Objectives

• For you to have a good understanding of evacuation chairs and their requirements within the workplace
• To train you as an instructor in the safe use of evacuation chairs
• To enable you to assess the suitability of an evacuation chair within a workplace

Who Should Attend This Course?

Any person interested in training learners in the safe use of evacuation chairs

Pre-Course Requirements

• Learners must be 18 years of age or over
• English is the language in which training is delivered, and learners must have fluency in English
• It is recommended that learners have previously attended an ‘Evacuation Chair Training’ session
• Learners must have completed a Manual Handling Course before attending this training
• The learner should wear comfortable clothing for practical activities as there will be extensive moving involved
• A suitable location for practical activities is required to complete this course
• Please let us know if learners have any specific learner requirements

Course Programme

• Health & Safety at Work
• Introduction to evacuation plans
• Evacuation chair limitations
• Lifting the evacuation chair
• A safety check of your evacuation chair
• Carrying the evacuation chair
• Getting a person into an evacuation chair
• Teaching the use of an evacuation chair
• Deliver a ‘mock’ evacuation chair training session to peers
• Assessing evacuation chair use

Our Tutors

All our tutors hold a minimum;

• QQI Level 8 in their subject matter or higher
• Train-the-Trainer QQI Level 6 or higher
• People Moving Instructor Qualified
• Evacuation Chair Instructor Qualified

Training Methods

• Classroom-based PowerPoint presentation
• Demonstration and Practice
• Deliver a ‘mock’ training session to peers

Assessment

Learners will be required to deliver a ‘mock’ training session

Certification

• Upon successfully completing the Evacuation Chair Instructors Course, learners will receive a Phoenix STS Training certificate
• The certificate will be valid for three (3) years

Duration

The course is delivered over six hours, this allows adequate time for practice and demonstration with the skills modules of the course

Maximum Number of Learners

As the Evacuation Chair Instructors Course is predominantly skill-based, it is limited to 2 learners per course. A maximum of 2 learners allows adequate practice periods for learners to demonstrate their knowledge and skill in delivering training programmes