Essential Elements for Evacuation Diagrams

Australian Standard 3745:2010 Planning for emergencies in facilities considers Evacuation Diagrams an essential part of emergency management. While it is not legally binding, the standard has wide recognition in the emergency planning industry as the benchmark in emergency response management.

Emergency evacuation diagrams provide pictorial representations of how to evacuate a building and illustrate evacuation procedures, exit routes, fire equipment, assembly areas, and emergency contact details.

Key points regarding emergency evacuation diagrams include:

Placement

• Diagrams must be placed where occupants and visitors can easily view them.
• Not attached to fire doors, smoke doors, or other fire-resistant elements.
• Diagrams must be positioned with the bottom edge of the diagram at minimum 1.2 meters above the floor or 1.6 meters above the pane of the finished floor.

Number of diagrams

• The exact number is determined by the Emergency Planning Committee (EPC) based on visibility for occupants. The EPC should consist of at least two members with the responsibilities that include maintaining the emergency plan in a building or facility.

Orientation

• Diagrams must have the correct orientation concerning the direction of emergency exits and the ‘YOU ARE HERE’ point.

Size

• Australia Standard 3745:2010 outlines two required sizes depending on the contents of your diagram:
  A) Diagrams contain only required elements: Minimum size = A4 (210mm x 297 mm); Representation of floor area = 200mm x 150mm
  B) Diagrams contain required elements & optional elements: Minimum size = A3 (297mm x 420mm); Representation of floor area = 300mm x 200mm

design elements

• Key elements include the title, ‘You Are Here,’ designated exits, communication equipment, fire equipment locations, assembly areas, legend, paths of acceptable travel, and site information including address.

optional elements

• Additional elements may be included based on relevance, such as direction of opening doors, first aid stations, emergency information, fire and smoke doors, fire hydrants, AED locations, and electrical switchboard locations.

Expiration

• Diagrams require updating when changes to the building layout or firefighting systems occur or every five years if no changes occur.

Training

• Installing diagrams is not enough; occupants should receive sufficient information and regular training.
• An evacuation exercise should be conducted at least annually to test and validate occupants’ understanding of the emergency procedures.

Compliance with these standards ensures that occupants can quickly and easily access essential information during emergencies, contributing to a safer evacuation process.

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