disabled refuge legislation and signage

7/30/2019 Disabled Refuge Legislation and Signage

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DISABLED REFUGE AND SIGNAGE


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Multifire Maintenance Services Ltd, Suite 2B, Beta House, Laser Quay, Culpeper Close,

Medway City Estate, Rochester. Kent. ME2 4HU

Disabled Refuge Legislation, British Standards and Signage

Disabled refuge alarms are designed for use in

buildings that contain Refuge areas. Thesesystems allow emergency services to be in

continuous contact with the people in the

refuge areas. The installation and equipment

must be in compliance with British standard BS

5588.

Refuge systems will consist of a main panel to

be used by the emergency services and a call

unit in each of the refuge areas. Due to

changes in legislation, this type of installationhas become a legal requirement now in many

new builds. Because this safety system is like a Fire Alarm, it is required to be installed

using Fire rated cable (E.g. FP200, Pyro, FP Enhanced etc.).

In the event of a fire, or any other emergency, staff will evacuate wheelchair-restricted

customers to a designated place of safety (refuge area). Staff will then activate the Refuge

Area Remote Unit, which lights a Refuge Occupied indicator on the main control panel. The

fire Officer or building manager is able to communicate with the occupants of the refuge

areas, either individually, or via using the all-call option.

British Standards: BS 5839-9

BS 5839-9 provides recommendations for the planning, design, installation, commissioning

and maintenance of emergency voice communication systems in and around buildings and

at sports, entertainment and similar venues. It does not recommend whether or not an

emergency voice communication system should be installed in a given premises.

It primarily relates to the use of emergency voice communication (EVC) in assisting both fire

fighters and those responsible for evacuating buildings or sports stadiums in fire emergency

situations, including evacuation of disabled persons. Use, other than in fire emergencysituations, by disabled persons and others, although not precluded, is not addressed in

detail.

BS 5839-9 covers systems with components linked by wires, wirelessly, or a combination of

both. Other than in exceptional circumstances, EVC systems are not intended as the means

of raising a fire alarm, in lieu of manual call points.


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Multifire Maintenance Services Ltd, Suite 2B, Beta House, Laser Quay, Culpeper Close,

Medway City Estate, Rochester. Kent. ME2 4HU

Disabled Refuge Signage

Refuge signage - white pictogram on green background

size 300mm x 300mm, sited on the staircase landing

adjacent to refuge.

Directional signage is often placed to point towards all

disabled refuge locations; these will be located above

the doorway that leads onto the staircase landing.

Additional directional signage is not necessary given

that most staircase landings, with only very few

exceptions, are refuge locations.

Disabled refuge action signage should be used to

provide essential detailed information and form part of a

comprehensive fire exit and evacuation process.

A verity of signage is available in order to be compliant with the British Standards: BS 5839-

9 and to the buildings requirements, from general signs to more specialized and customised

signage. General signs can consist of directional arrows that point towards the refuge area

and more customised signs are able to be made with information particularly suited to the

building or the people inside.

Directional signage towards a Refuge Point

disabled refuge legislation and signage

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