Well planned is half saved

In the buildings or offices of SMEs, all kinds of people pass through: on the one hand, employees, from the CEO to the trainee, and on the other hand, customers and visitors who can quickly lose their bearings in the sometimes confusing building structures. In everyday life, they are guided to their destination by friendly employees. In an emergency, however, they must be able to reach safety independently, quickly and reliably.

This is where escape and rescue plans come into play: they are intended to orient people in or before an emergency, show them their escape and rescue routes, provide information about first aid and fire protection facilities and convey rules for behaviour in the event of a fire or accident. In order for the plans to be of real use in an emergency, they must be designed in a simple and comprehensible way so that the way to safety is quickly clear and, above all, unambiguous. This also helps to prevent panic and even the rescue forces benefit from it - they can orient themselves more quickly and move more safely in the event of an emergency.

Unfortunately, practice often shows a different picture: Escape and rescue plans are too detailed and unclearly designed or do not correspond to the actual architecture of the building. Some are difficult to understand, others point in the wrong direction or do not take into account insurmountable hurdles - for example locked doors or blocked emergency exits.

ensure safety

In Switzerland, escape and rescue plans are mandatory for many buildings. The focus is on the fire protection standard of the VKF (Association of Cantonal Fire Insurers) and in particular Article 17, Paragraph 2, which states: "Owners and users of buildings and facilities shall ensure that the safety of persons, animals and property is guaranteed". Within this framework, it is necessary to decide whether and when escape and rescue plans improve safety. This decision is easy for buildings with large numbers of people (accommodation facilities, hospitals, schools, public offices, cinemas, theatres, shops, railway stations, etc.) or for properties with special operational hazards, such as those in manufacturing, industry, energy producers or businesses with hazardous goods. Buildings with large and complex structures, such as high-rise buildings, automatic high-bay warehouses or production lines, cannot do without them. In short: escape and rescue plans make sense and are mandatory in every building in which employees or visitors are present.

The representation

The ISO 23601 and SN EN ISO 7010 standards provide information on how escape and rescue plans should look. ISO 23601 specifies that the plans must be coloured and that the safety colours and pictograms in accordance with SN EN ISO 7010 must be used. These pictograms

Too many architectural details, colorful symbols, or colored markings are distracting.

shall correspond to the escape route signs actually used in the building. The scale of the plans must not differ within a building. Each location must be rotated and positioned with all symbols and texts in such a way that the viewer always sees the plan in front of him in the correct position. In addition, the rules for behaviour in the event of fire and accidents tailored to the property must be listed: internal emergency numbers, special alarm instructions or special regulations for evacuation. In addition, there is information on the creator of the plans, the property and floor, as well as the date of creation and the number of the plan. However, there is no regulation on how escape and rescue plans should be drawn up. If all the necessary elements are present and correctly mapped, they can even be drawn by hand. As a rule, however, such drawings leave a pale aftertaste. Simple, comprehensible, correct and reliable escape and rescue plans are highly recommended, which inspire confidence and remain recognisable even in an emergency, as well as leading quickly and safely out of the building. Because that is exactly what they are there for.

Inspection and analysis

In practice, the guidelines and specifications primarily mean more work than expected. Anyone designing an escape and rescue plan must first create an accurate and realistic floor plan. Without this basis, no plan will work reliably. In a detailed building inspection, all special features and conditions are then recorded and analysed. Every escape and rescue route is checked until the safety officer himself is standing on the assembly point outside. All fire extinguishing posts, fire extinguisher boxes and first aid boxes on this route are checked for location, contents and completeness.

In this phase, safety officers must not be under time pressure, but should move through the entire operation with a wary eye and a lot of patience. Escape and rescue routes are often padlocked, blocked by stored boxes and pallets or blocked by vehicles from outside. Such obstacles must be observed, prevented and prevented in the long term. If mistakes are made here, they will be reflected in the entire emergency planning and organisation.

Creation and assembly

Only then does it go to the design and creation, printing and installation of the plans. They should be clearly visible and placed at strategic points of the escape and rescue routes: Entrances and lobbies, floor access points and time clocks, in the elevator, in break rooms, in the cafeteria, around escape route intersections, or at access points to hazardous areas. Photoluminescent materials or emergency lighting can provide crucial added value in an emergency, but are not mandatory.

Prominent landmarks such as toilets, conference rooms, lifts or special areas should definitely be listed. But with moderation. Too many architectural details, colourful symbols or coloured markings are distracting and confusing. This also applies to pictograms and written designations or designs that are not used internationally. Visitors and customers from abroad do not understand them. But this is precisely the goal of good escape and rescue plans: that everyone can read and understand them in all situations.

Risk not worth it

Those who neglect them, do not update them or do not install them according to the guidelines and standards risk a lot. As mentioned above, the owners and occupants of buildings are responsible for the safety within these buildings. If faulty escape and rescue plans lead to an incident with dramatic consequences, not only is the impact on the image of the business threatening, but also legally and in terms of insurance there are lengthy and highly unpleasant investigations and lawsuits. Under no circumstances is this a risk worth taking, especially as good escape and rescue

Owners and occupants of buildings have a responsibility for safety.

The result is that the plans do not have to be expensive and are available for a wide range of requirements and budgets. If you don't have the time to deal with this, you can find complete packages on the market and trust professionals with everything from the inventory to the conception, design, delivery and installation, right through to the regular checking of the plans. Good planning is already half the escape and rescue route