Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

Emergency routes, exits and emergency 
procedures
The responsible person must ensure that routes to emer-
gency exits and the exits themselves are kept clear and 
ready for use. See Chapter 17 for specifi c requirements 
for means of escape.
The responsible person must establish suitable 
and appropriate emergency procedures and appoint a 
suffi cient number of competent persons to implement the 
procedures. This includes arrangements for fi re drill and 
information and action regarding exposure to serious, 
imminent and unavoidable dangers. Where dangerous 
substances are used and/or stored, additional emergency 
measures covering the hazards must be set up. There 
should be appropriate visual or audible warnings and 
other communications systems to effect a prompt and 
safe exit from the endangered area.
Where necessary to protect persons’ safety all 
premises and facilities must be properly maintained and 
subject to a suitable system of maintenance.
Safety assistance
The responsible person must appoint (except in the case 
of the self - employed or partnerships where a person 
has the competence themselves) one or more people 
to assist in undertaking the preventative and protective 
measures. Competent persons must be given the time 
and means to fulfi l their responsibilities. Competent per-
sons must be kept informed of anything relevant to the 
role and have access to information on any dangerous 
substances present on the premises.
Provision of information
The responsible person must provide:
➤
their own employees
➤
the employer of any employees of an outside 
undertaking
with comprehensible and relevant information on the 
risks, precautions taken, persons appointed for fi re - 
fi ghting and fi re drills, appointment of competent persons. 
Additional information is also required for dangerous sub-
stances used and/or stored on the premises.
Before a child (16–18 years old) is employed, informa-
tion on special risks to children must be given to the 
child’s parent or guardian.