Section 125 of the Canada Labour Code, Part II
“… every employer shall, in respect of every work place controlled by the employer and, in respect of every work activity carried out by an employee in a work place that is not controlled by the employer, to the extent that the employer controls the activity… (o) comply with prescribed standards relating to fire safety and emergency measures; (p) ensure, in the prescribed manner, that employees have safe entry to, exit from and occupancy of the work place.”
In NFPA 101, 2015, section 7.2.12.2.3
Safer alternative stair descent measures for transporting a person who normally requires a wheelchair, or otherwise cannot use stairs, include emergency stair travel devices designed, constructed, and operated in accordance with ANSI/RESNA ED-1, Emergency Stair Travel Devices Used by Individuals with Disabilities.
United States Access Board Required Compliance with the IBC
Evacuation plans and procedures should address the needs of all facility occupants, including those with disabilities. Mobility aids, such as emergency stair travel devices, also known as evacuation chairs, are available to transport people unable to use stairs. The Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA), www.resna.org, has developed consensus Standards for emergency stair travel devices through the American National Standards Institute (RESNA ED- 1. It is important that evacuation chairs be located so that they do not obstruct required means of egress.
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Section 501:
Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in Federal employment and applicants for employment. Federal agencies are required to make reasonable accommodations for qualified employees or applicants with disabilities.
Disability Discrimination & Reasonable Accommodation:
A reasonable accommodation is any change in the work environment to help a person with a disability apply for a job, perform the duties of a job, or enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment.
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990:
The Act prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in employment (Title II), in public accommodations.
PART 1630—REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT THE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT PROVISIONS OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
Section 1630.2(o)Reasonable Accommodation: One of these is the accommodation of making existing facilities used by employees readily accessible to, and usable by, individuals with disabilities
MARYLAND HOUSE BILL 1061:
Education – Emergency and Evacuation Plans – Individuals With Disabilities
Requiring the State Department of Education, in consultation with disability advocacy groups, to
update specified guidelines to accommodate, safeguard, and evacuate students, staff, and visitors with disabilities on public school grounds; requiring each local school system, on or before July, 2018.
CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY BILL 3098:
The newly passed Assembly Bill 3098 implements new emergency and disaster plan requirements for all Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFE’s) in California. Each RCFE must have an evacuation chair at each stairwell by July 2019.
For further information on Canadian and USA evacuation legislation please call us on +1 516 502-4240
