Fire safety and impairment - Personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPS)

What is a PEEP

A PEEP is a plan for a person who may need assistance, for instance, a person with impaired mobility, to evacuate a building or reach a place of safety in the event of an emergency.

The University of Exeter takes its obligations to fire safety extremely seriously. Some members of staff will require additional assistance to ensure their safety in case of fire or other emergency. These people may need a personal evacuation plan (PEEP).

Who needs a PEEP

The key question to ask is “Can this person leave the building unaided in an emergency?”

If the answer is No, they need their own evacuation plan.

A PEEP may be needed for someone with an impairment or disability such as:

Mobility impairment
Sight impairment
Hearing impairment
Cognitive impairment
A medical condition or injury which might cause them to need assistance to evacuate safely.

Sometimes the requirement for a PEEP may be temporary for instance, someone who is using a wheelchair because of a broken leg or someone in the late stages of pregnancy.

IMPORTANT – the plan must not rely on the Fire and Rescue Service’s intervention to make the plan work.

Who’s responsibility is a PEEP

A manager is responsible for ensuring the safety of their staff. It is their responsibility to identify individuals who may require a PEEP and to implement the PEEP assessment. Full information can be found on the University of Exeter Health & Safety pages (please note, you will need to open the form in the desktop application and save the form to be able to edit it).

Further information please contact the Health & Safety Team