Fire England’s May campaign around the importance of escape routes is a timely reminder that evacuating a building quickly can be the difference between human survival and human tragedy.
And although the campaign is focused on residential buildings, in commercial buildings – often where fire has more opportunities to start, and occupancy rates are higher – the message is even more urgent.
This is where FEEP – a tiny acronym with big impacts – comes into play. But why’s it so important?
What is a FEEP?
FEEP is a Fire Emergency Evacuation Plan. A written fire safety compliance document outlining the procedures for evacuating a building in the event of a fire
It details the actions to be taken by employees and building occupants, and the location and layout of the specific evacuation routes and exits nearest to them.
Why do you need a FEEP?
A FEEP is potentially a life-saver – but it’s also a legal requirement for most commercial buildings, so if you don’t have an up to date one, your building’s likely to be non-compliant.
This can cause serious issues with insurability and insurance claims and can also result in litigation and reputational damage if a fire occurs, and people are injured (or worse) as a result.
In short, a FEEP isn’t optional, and it isn’t a standalone procedure.
The law requires that it must be developed by persons competent to do so, as part of your wider Fire Strategy. And as with most fire safety work, the Government advises the use of a certified fire protection company, with operatives who are members of approved fire industry professional bodies, to carry out the work.
What does the FEEP cover?
Every building is different, and some may require special FEEP provisions to take into account architectural characteristics (in historical buildings, for example), but in essence the FEEP focuses on:
- Evacuation procedures, including routes and assembly points
- Instructions on how to call the fire brigade
- Roles and responsibilities of staff in the event of a fire, including fire marshals or similar
- Information about firefighting equipment and its location (e.g. extinguishers. fire blankets, etc.)
- Arrangements for individuals with limited mobility or other specific needs
It’s vital that all escape routes are always kept clear. it’s not permissible, for example, for a fire escape route to be used for storage that could block people’s safe passage out of the building.
Some common pitfalls to avoid
It’s critical that regular checks of the FEEP’s ongoing validity are carried out, and that the FEEP is revisited and updated as part of the overall Fire Strategy within which it sits. Buildings and their occupancy levels can change over time – and the FEEP must evolve in line with these developments.
And remember that a FEEP isn’t a plan to be kept on a shelf and forgotten! It must be actively communicated to the building’s occupants – a training requirement that competent fire engineers can help you with.
At Commercial Fire Protection, our certified team is highly experienced in all aspects of Fire Strategy, including FEEP development, and can deliver new procedures from scratch, as well as maintain and update what you already have in place.
Contact us today to find out more about how we can help you with these and many other fire protection requirements – and request your copy of our FREE Guide to Fire Protection Compliance here.
