Statutory Compliance & PUWER Regulations
Installing evacuation chairs satisfies only the first phase of an organisation’s legal obligations. Specifically, employers must protect vulnerable occupants during a fire emergency under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. However, true readiness requires ensuring your designated workplace operators can manage the equipment safely. Therefore, deploying a device is not the same as being operationally ready.
Evacuation chairs and transit sledges are Class 1 Medical Devices. Consequently, they fall under the statutory mandate of PUWER 1998 regulations. This legislation places a strict legal duty on equipment providers. To understand your facility setup guidelines thoroughly, read our diagnostic overview on Evacuation Chairs: What You Need to Know.
Specifically, employers must guarantee that all operators receive adequate, documented training. Alternatively, you can review procurement models across a mixed estate by consulting our guide on Choosing the Right Evacuation Chair: A Comprehensive Guide. Our bespoke curriculum incorporates all core safety proficiencies to ensure absolute workplace compliance.
What You Will Learn
- The Legal Architecture: Navigating workplace duties under PUWER 1998, the Fire Safety Order 2005, and explicit PEEP requirements.
- Vulnerability Tracking: Understanding how physical realities, mobility impairments, sensory loss, and temporary injuries impact emergency movement.
- Disability Awareness & Etiquette: Mastering clear emergency communication and maintaining casualty dignity under stress.
- Manual Handling Principles: Applying ergonomic lifting, lowering, and transfer mechanics to protect operators.
- Pre-Use Inspection Frameworks: Executing vital visual safety checks on tracks, wheels, brakes, and straps.
- Immersive Practical Scenarios: Conducting active, physical descents down fire escape stairs under expert supervision.
“I thought everything was explained in a way I understood it. I felt comfortable and Chris helped with that. My biggest takeaway is knowing how to push someone down the stairs (safely)”
Course Details
- Format: Private on-site training at your facility or scheduled open classroom courses
- Duration: Half-day course running promptly from 9:00am to 3:00pm
- Accreditation: Fully CPD certified and compliant with statutory PUWER 1998 mandates
- Assessment: Multiple-choice theory paper (70% pass mark) and a continuous 100% practical operational evaluation
- Certificate: Formal digital certificate valid for 3 years issued upon successful completion
Certificate
This course is certified by Chris Garland Training. The certificate is valid for three years and is accepted for insurance purposes. Materials and assessment standards are the same as our accredited courses.
Course Access & Requirements
- On-Site Customisation: Evacuation chairs interact uniquely with different building layouts. Training teams inside your own building produces vastly superior real-world preparedness.
- Physical Fitness Thresholds: Operating an evacuation chair down stairs requires excellent core stability and upper-body strength. Therefore, we advise against enrolling individuals with chronic injuries.
- Footwear Safeguards: All candidates must wear flat, closed-toe shoes with non-slip soles. Staff arriving in inappropriate footwear cannot participate in handling drills.
- Late Arrival Policy: Strict compliance standards enforce uncompromising contact-time criteria. If an attendee arrives more than 15 minutes late, they will be turned away and forfeit their paid booking fees.
- Flexible Certification Outcomes: Smaller workers who cannot lower a heavy load safely may be certified as assistants. This outcome still protects your team significantly since most escapes require two people.
Useful Links & Resources
- Read our full Course Joining Instructions
- Request a group quote via our Bespoke Corporate Quotations portal
- School Safety Evacuation Competency Case Study
Related Courses
- For Internal Trainers: To train your own staff to deliver this curriculum internally, see our Evacuation Chair Train the Trainer course.
- For Alternative Equipment: If your risk assessment requires alternative exit strategies, review our specialized Evacuation Sledge Training.







