Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) (OBUHSN-08)

Introduction

The general principles for the evacuation of the University buildings are to be found in OBUHSN-09, Fire and Evacuation Procedures. In the event of a fire evacuation, most lifts are not available for use.

Some people have difficulties getting themselves out of a building unaided. The aim of a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) is to provide them with the necessary information to be able to manage their escape to a place of safety and to give faculties and directorates the necessary information so as to ensure that the correct level of assistance is always available.

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Responsibilities for students

It is the responsibility of the Dean of Faculty or their nominees, to establish with students who have declared a disability, whether they may require assistance to evacuate a building in the event of an emergency. The Student Disability Service will provide to the appropriate Faculties and Directorates contact details of those students known to the Disability Service for whom a PEEP may need to be drawn up. The Needs for Assistance Questionnaire should be completed by the student.

On the basis of this, a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan will be drawn up by appropriate staff within relevant Faculties, with support, if necessary of the Student Disability Service, The Safety Team, Estates and Campus Services and appropriate staff within relevant directorates.

Responsibilities for staff

It is the responsibility of the Dean of Faculty or Director of Directorate to establish with members of their staff who have declared a disability whether they may require assistance to evacuate a building in the event of an emergency. If so the Needs for Assistance Questionnaire should be completed by the member of staff.

On the basis of this, a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan will be drawn by the member of staff’s line manager, with the support of appropriate staff within relevant faculties and directorates and if necessary, Estates and Campus Services the the Safety Team.

Guidance for drawing up a PEEP

Persons who have declared they have a disability should be asked to complete a Needs for Assistance Questionnaire.

The questionnaire should be signed and dated by the person completing the form.
In the case of a member of staff, a copy of the questionnaire should remain in their personal file.
In the case of a student, a copy of the questionnaire will remain on file with the Student Disability Service(s) (Academic and Student Affairs).

If the responses to the questionnaire indicate potential difficulties for escape from a building, without the use of lifts, a PEEP will be drawn up.

The person requiring a PEEP will need to compile a list of the locations where they are likely to be whilst on University’s premises. The list will need to be reviewed and updated when new locations become regularly visited.

It is the responsibility of the Deans of Faculties or Director of Directorates, or their nominees, responsible for the person in the locations named by the individual, to draw up a PEEP.

The Safety Team may be called upon to assist in drawing up a PEEP.

In the case of students, additional support may be sought from the Student Disability Team.

The Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP), will be completed, in conjunction with the person to whom it applies, by the appointed person within the appropriate Faculty or Directorate.

The name and contact details of any designated helpers will be included on the PEEP. A designated helper may either be someone who permanently accompanies the person to assist with their mobility, or a colleague or fellow student who has volunteered to assist and is likely to be with the person. The designated helper should actively participate in the PEEP to ensure that they are familiar with the evacuation procedure.

The person who requires assistance to escape will visit the named locations with the appointed person within the appropriate Faculty or Directorate. A method of escape will be determined. The method must be tried out to ensure that it is safe and satisfactory. The method will be recorded in the Evacuation Procedures of the PEEP

A copy of the PEEP will be issued to the person needing help with escape and to their designated helpers.

In the case of a member of staff, a copy of the questionnaire will remain in their personal file.
In the case of a student, a copy of the questionnaire will remain on file with the Disability Service(s) (Academic and Student Affairs).
The PEEP will be made available to all those who may be involved in supporting the individual in case of the need for an emergency evacuation.

If ever the person’s circumstances change, the Needs for Assistance Questionnaire should be rewritten and the PEEP(s) reviewed and revised if necessary, following the procedures outlined above.