FEEP or PEEP – what’s the difference?

A FEEP is a Fire Emergency Evacuation Plan. This is a written outline of what action should be taken in your particular workplace in the event of a fire.

A PEEP is a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan and is written specifically for an individual who may have difficulty in exiting the building quickly in the event of an emergency.

A logical and clearly thought out FEEP that staff are able to read and absorb before the emergency occurs will help to ensure that any evacuation will be rapid and panic-free. At the very least, a FEEP should include the following information:

• Who the Responsible Person is (usually the business owner, manager or other nominated person who should be trained in fire safety and should be fully cognisant with the fire safety plan)
• What an individual should do on discovering a fire 
• How the Fire Brigade is to be called (your fire alarm system may link directly to the fire brigade, but if not, it must be clear who is responsible for calling 999)
• How vulnerable people should be evacuated – I.e. Those that may need assistance or specialist equipment (e.g. children, the elderly, disabled or person with a temporary incapacity)
• What to do when the fire alarm sounds (including helping visitors to exit the building)
• Where fire fighting equipment is located on site
• How the building is to be evacuated (usually this will be a simultaneous evacuation, where everyone leaves the building immediately, but if there are particular situations where a phased evacuation or safe area procedure is recommended, this needs to be clearly stated on the FEEP)
• Details of escape routes (all of which should be clearly marked, but it is essential that staff are aware of the various routes from the building)
• Where the Assembly Point is located outside the building
• Who the Fire Marshals are (if appointed)
• What training is provided for staff, and its frequency

A PEEP is a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan, and is an individual escape plan for people who may need assistance or specialist equipment to enable them to exit the building rapidly in the event of an emergency.

Individuals who may need a PEEP include those with sight, hearing, mobility or cognitive impairments, and also children and the elderly. In addition, a temporary PEEP may be needed by people with short-term impairments (e.g. injuries such as a broken leg), temporary medical conditions or who are in the later stages of pregnancy. In essence, anyone who would not be able to exit the building promptly and unaided in an emergency would need to have a PEEP.

Bear in mind that both FEEPs and PEEPs need to be reviewed regularly and amended as and when necessary. It is, of course, vital that staff (particularly Fire Marshals and those in positions of responsibility) have access to and are acquainted with the FEEP (and PEEPs as applicable) to ensure that prompt and efficient action is taken should a fire break out in the building. Any changes made to the plan need to be communicated to staff, and any new workers should be shown the plan as part of their induction. Regular Fire Drills will help to ensure everyone is aware of their duties and what they need to do in an emergency.

If you need assistance in formulating a FEEP for your company, or a PEEP for any of your staff, please don’t hesitate to give us a call – we would be glad to help!

 

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