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FIRE SERVICE AND GENERAL FIRE SAFETY TOPICS => Fire Safety => Topic started by: Redone on May 13, 2008, 04:41:11 PM
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Found an 'EVAC' chair, first floor office, new build, in situ following PEEP for a member of staff, however, it's to be used on an external spiral staircase, I know I would not be over joyed at the thought of going down that in the chair... or is that just me?
P.S. been waiting a week for confirmation from the suppler on suitability.
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It would have to be a special type of evac chair to negotiate a spiral staircase. Many of them cannot even negotiate the turn on a half landing.
Have you tried the chair 'empty' to test its suitability in turning the tight angles on the spiral staircase. Who's been trained to assist the person down the stairs and yes, they can be a very frightening experience for the person within. I have had some experience with these chairs in the past and their suitability for the job needs to be closely looked at.
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There is a further problem re use of Evac chairs - what does the disabled person do once they are outside the building? They can't move around on their own in an Evac chair, and such chairs are not comfortable for long periods of use either. If the building is actually on fire their own wheelchair may never get out either which may lead to further problems. If a scheme can be put in place so that they can get out in their own chair it is far better for the person concerned.
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Cheers for your replies, I've used these a fair bit and I feel it the next day, I feel this chair has been sold to hit a sales target, been told they are suitable for some spirals by the suppler... how open is that, and utter nonsense.
The customer should have been been made fully aware of the risks and problems that are likely, (with a demo) and more importantly whether THIS chair will safely perform the task it has been purchased for.
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I agree with John,
Not only will you have the problem with the immobilised disabled person outside the building, you will "possibly" have one that feels so disoriented without their "best Friend" (their chair) that with a communication breakdown, and coupled with the fact that they now have to be physically lifted to safety...this will all lead to a mini emergency in itself!
And what would happen if the disabled person fell out of the evac chair, down the stairs, or if the helper let go of the chair!
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From a Manual Handling point of view the operator of the chair (rather than the evacuee in the chair) will be subjected to some strange stresses and strains operating and constantly turning the evac chair down a spiral stair (presuming that does in fact fit and turn on such a staircase in line with Paulm2886 says up above).
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Yes, definately, I would also have grave concerns for the well being of the poor helper too!
Has anyone actually used, or have knowledge of the use of a "Sunwa" wheelchair Transporter?
Ive looked up the design details, but I cant find any more info on, if someone has actually managed with one?
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This is just one of the many disadvantages I see with the use of standard Evac Chairs
Firstly most Evac Chairs work on the pressumption that the wheelchair user is able to "self transfer" themselves from the wheelchair to the evac chair.
In any event it seems to me the suppliers (or atleast the sales staff) selling this type of equipment sometimes dont fully understand the needs of the people that might have to use them in an emergency.
As John S Webb rightly states any system which allows for the user and wheelchair to stay together is preferable and I certainly have never heard of any evac chair that could successfully negotiate a spiral staircase. (I could be wrong and wil happily be put right)
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Evac + chair which is following the same standard design as most of them is not suitable for spiral staircases. The width of the chair exceeds the turning diameter
As for manual handling - im sure most people would prefer the risk of a strain rather than leave someone in a burning building if there were no adequate refuge point