Fire Safety Services
Evacuation chair training.
On-site. Practical. Certified. £295.
Hands-on evacuation chair training delivered at your premises by a qualified fire risk assessor. Practical operation on your actual staircase. Every delegate certified. The only training that actually prepares staff to use a chair in a real emergency.
An evacuation chair installed in a stairwell, serviced annually, and never touched by any member of staff who might actually need to use it is not a fire safety measure. It is a piece of equipment that creates a false sense of security — and it is exactly the situation that fire authority inspectors and CQC regulators find when they audit premises where non-ambulant occupants are present and ask to see evidence of trained competence.
Fletcher Risk Management delivers evacuation chair training at your premises for the staff who will actually operate the chair in an emergency. The training is practical and hands-on — every delegate handles the chair on your specific staircase, works through the deployment sequence, and practises safe control of the chair and its occupant on the actual gradient and configuration they will encounter in a fire evacuation. An online module is not adequate preparation for this task. Practical, on-site training is the only approach that builds the muscle memory and the confidence the situation requires.
Price per session
£295
Delivery
At your premises
Staircase
Your actual staircase
Certification
Every delegate
Why it matters
When a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) identifies that a non-ambulant occupant requires evacuation chair assistance, it designates staff who will carry out that assistance. Those staff have an obligation under the PEEP — and the responsible person has an obligation to ensure those staff are actually capable of fulfilling it. A PEEP that names a member of staff who has never touched an evacuation chair is not a plan. It is a piece of paper that will fail at the critical moment.
The consequences of that failure are not abstract. Evacuation chairs are operated on staircases, often in stressful and rapidly developing situations, by staff who may themselves be under pressure. The safe control of a chair carrying a non-ambulant occupant — particularly on a steep or confined staircase, in a building where the fire is developing quickly — requires practiced competence, not theoretical awareness. Our training builds that competence through practical repetition on the specific staircase where it will matter.
PEEP obligations and training evidence: Where your fire risk assessment or your building's PEEP identifies evacuation chair provision as a required control measure, the fire authority expects to see evidence that the designated staff have been trained to use it. Training certificates issued following a practical on-site session are the appropriate evidence. An online completion record is not.
What the training covers
Equipment familiarisation
Components, function, and storage
Every delegate handles the chair and learns the function of each component — the braking system, restraint harness, deployment mechanism, and the storage and maintenance requirements that keep the chair ready for use.
Practical deployment
On your actual staircase
Training is delivered on the specific staircase where the chair will be used — not a simulated environment. Every delegate deploys and operates the chair on the actual gradient, width, and configuration they will encounter in a real emergency.
Safe handling technique
Posture, braking, and speed control
Correct operator posture, braking technique at different gradients, speed control, and the management of a chair occupant who may be anxious, unwell, or non-communicative. Safe handling protects both occupant and operator.
Emergency scenarios
When things go wrong
Practical preparation for the scenarios that arise in real evacuations — a chair that doesn't release from storage, an occupant needing additional support, a partially obstructed staircase, or a rapidly developing fire that compresses available time.
PEEP integration
How the chair fits the evacuation plan
How evacuation chair use integrates with the broader evacuation plan — the trigger for deployment, communication with other fire marshals, liaison with emergency services, and post-evacuation accounting procedures.
Certification & records
Certificates for every delegate
Every delegate who completes the training receives a certificate of competence. Training records are provided for the responsible person's fire safety documentation — evidence of competence for fire authority and CQC audits.
Who needs evacuation chair training
Evacuation chair training is relevant wherever there is a realistic possibility that a non-ambulant person may be present during a fire — a broader category than most responsible persons initially recognise.
Care homes
Non-ambulant residents — highest priority
Hotels & hospitality
Guests with mobility limitations
Offices
Staff and visitors on upper floors
Schools & colleges
Students and staff with mobility needs
Residential blocks
Residents identified in PEEP review
HMOs
Multi-storey HMOs with upper floors
Warehouses
Multi-level industrial premises
Churches & community
Public venues with mixed mobility
Part of a complete fire safety programme
Evacuation chair training is most effective when it sits within a complete fire safety programme — a current fire risk assessment that identifies the need for the provision, a fire evacuation plan that incorporates the chair into the PEEP arrangements, and trained staff who have actually practised what the plan requires. We can coordinate all of these elements across a single building or a portfolio of properties.
We also offer fire safety training for all staff and fire marshals — which can be delivered on the same visit as evacuation chair training for maximum efficiency — and fire door inspections to ensure the passive fire protection in the building is performing as it should.
★★★★★
"Without doubt one of the best and most professional businesses I have used. Tim Fletcher is a highly regarded professional in his field. Don't take a chance — protect your staff, protect your building, protect your business."Chris H. · Google Review
★★★★★
"We have engaged Fletcher Risk Management to carry out surveys on a number of our sites for a very important client. Always professional, friendly and accommodating. The work exceeded our expectations by far."Marie Morgan · EIS Ltd · Google Review
Common questions
How much does evacuation chair training cost?
£295 per session, delivered at your premises. Certificates issued to every delegate who completes the training. Call 01244 394 244 to discuss your premises and the number of staff who need training.
How many staff can attend each session?
Typically up to 6 delegates per session — practical staircase training with individual hands-on time requires a smaller group than awareness training. For larger teams, multiple sessions can be arranged. We will advise on the most efficient structure when you contact us.
Do we need to provide the evacuation chair?
Yes — the training is delivered on your own chair, on your own staircase. This is the point: the training is specific to the equipment and the environment the staff will actually use in an emergency. If you do not yet have an evacuation chair and are seeking advice on which model is appropriate for your staircase and occupancy, we can advise as part of the booking conversation.
How often should evacuation chair training be renewed?
Annual refresher training is appropriate for most premises. When staff who are designated as evacuation chair operators leave and are replaced, the new designees should be trained before they are included in the PEEP as competent operators. Where the chair or the staircase configuration changes, all designated operators should be retrained.
What areas do you cover?
We deliver evacuation chair training across the full North West, North Wales, Shropshire, and Staffordshire. See our regional coverage page for the full list of areas served.
Book your evacuation chair training today.
Tell us your premises type, the staircase configuration, and the number of staff who need training. We will confirm availability and come to you. £295 per session, certificates included.
Fletcher Risk Management Ltd is registered in England. This page provides general guidance on evacuation chair training obligations and does not constitute legal advice. PEEP requirements vary by premises type and occupancy — always assess specific provision in the context of a current fire risk assessment.