Evacuation Chair Operator Training Course
Build the practical skills to support safer emergency evacuations when lifts cannot be used. Evac Chair Training provides hands-on instruction in safe chair operation and assisting people with reduced mobility. Complete the course in half a day and receive a certificate upon successful completion, valid for three years.
Course Features
Learning Options
What Is Evac Chair Training?
Evac Chair Training teaches you how to safely operate an evacuation chair to assist people with reduced mobility during emergencies. The course covers the safe use of evacuation chairs on stairways when passenger lifts cannot be used, helping operators respond confidently during a fire or other building evacuation.
Combining essential theory with hands-on practical training, you'll learn how to carry out pre-use safety checks, assist passengers, and perform controlled stair evacuations while following safe emergency evacuation procedures. Whether you're a fire marshal, facilities manager, healthcare professional, or a designated evacuation chair operator, this course provides the practical skills needed to support safer workplace evacuations.
Who Should Attend Evac Chair Training?
Evac Chair Training is suitable for anyone responsible for assisting people with reduced mobility during an emergency evacuation. It is ideal for designated evacuation chair operators and staff involved in workplace emergency procedures.
This course is suitable for:
- Fire marshals and fire wardens
- Health and safety officers
- Facilities and building managers
- Security personnel
- Emergency response teams
- Care home staff
- NHS and healthcare staff
- School, college, and university staff
- Hotel and hospitality staff
- Anyone responsible for emergency evacuations
From healthcare settings to workplaces and public buildings, this training helps you develop the practical skills required to support safe evacuation using an evacuation chair.
What Will You Learn?
This Evac Chair Training course combines essential theory with practical instruction to help you operate an evacuation chair safely and confidently during emergency situations. By the end of the course, you'll be able to:
- Understand emergency evacuation principles and operator responsibilities.
- Carry out pre-use safety checks before using the evacuation chair.
- Set up and deploy the evacuation chair correctly.
- Transfer and secure a passenger safely.
- Perform controlled stair descents using the correct techniques.
- Maintain safe operator positioning and control throughout the evacuation.
- Communicate effectively with the passenger and other responders.
- Apply your skills through supervised practical evacuation exercises.
- Complete post-use checks and store the evacuation chair correctly.
Benefits of Evac Chair Training
- ✓ Build confidence in safe chair operation.
- ✓ Assist people with reduced mobility safely.
- ✓ Practise controlled stair evacuation techniques.
- ✓ Understand safe emergency evacuation procedures.
- ✓ Demonstrate practical competence and gain certification.
Entry Requirements
There are no formal entry requirements for this Evac Chair Training course, and no previous experience is needed. As the course includes practical exercises using an evacuation chair on stairs, learners should be physically able to operate the equipment safely and follow instructions throughout the training.
A reasonable understanding of spoken and written English is recommended to ensure safe participation, and learners must be 16 years of age or older.
Course Duration & Delivery
Evac Chair Training is typically delivered as a half-day course, combining classroom-based learning with practical, hands-on instruction. Learners develop their understanding of safe evacuation procedures before practising evacuation chair operation, including controlled movement on stairs. Training can be delivered on-site at your workplace, with the exact duration varying slightly depending on group size and practical training requirements.
Planning training for your team?
Book on-site Evac Chair Training for your team and explore group booking options. Contact 0333 344 1293 for a tailored quote.
How Is the Course Assessed?
Assessment is carried out continuously during the course to ensure you can operate an evacuation chair safely and effectively in an emergency. Your instructor will evaluate your practical ability to prepare the chair, assist a passenger, and perform a controlled stair evacuation using the correct techniques.
The assessment also includes verbal or written questions to check your understanding of safe evacuation procedures and chair operation. Learners who successfully demonstrate practical competence and a sound understanding of safe evacuation procedures will be awarded an Evac Chair Training certificate.
Your trainer will guide you through the practical skills, helping you confidently operate the evacuation chair and demonstrate safe stair evacuation techniques.
Certification
Upon successful completion of the Evac Chair Training course, you will receive a certificate from the training provider confirming that you have completed the required training and demonstrated safe evacuation chair operation. The certificate is typically valid for three years, with refresher training recommended every three years to maintain practical skills and confidence.
How Can You Progress After This Course?
After completing Evac Chair Training, you can continue developing your emergency evacuation and workplace safety skills through:
- Evacuation Chair Refresher Training: Maintain practical skills and confidence in chair operation.
- Fire Marshal Training: Develop skills for supporting workplace fire evacuations.
- NEBOSH Certificate in Fire Safety: Build broader workplace fire safety and evacuation knowledge.
- Emergency First Aid at Work: Develop essential first-aid skills to help respond to workplace emergencies.
Hear from our past customers
What you will learn
- Carry out pre-use checks before operating an evacuation chair.
- Set up and deploy an evacuation chair correctly.
- Assist and secure a passenger safely in the chair.
- Position and control the chair during stair evacuation.
- Communicate effectively with the passenger during evacuation.
- Follow safe evacuation procedures when lifts cannot be used.
Course content
Understand the role of an evacuation chair operator and the key principles for supporting people with reduced mobility during an emergency evacuation.
Learn how to carry out essential pre-use checks, prepare the chair and deploy it correctly before assisting a passenger.
Cover safe techniques for transferring and securing a passenger in the evacuation chair while maintaining appropriate operator positioning.
Practise controlled movement on stairs, including safe chair handling, positioning and maintaining control throughout the descent.
Understand how to communicate clearly with the passenger and other responders while following safe operating procedures during an evacuation.
Put your knowledge into practice through supervised exercises that demonstrate the safe operation of the chair in realistic evacuation scenarios.
Learn the appropriate checks and procedures for returning the evacuation chair to its designated storage position after use.
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We provide our services without any additional charges.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Evac Chair Training teaches designated operators how to use an evacuation chair safely when assisting people with reduced mobility during an emergency evacuation. The training includes practical instruction on operating the chair, including controlled movement on stairs.
It is suitable for people who may be responsible for operating an evacuation chair as part of their organisation's emergency arrangements. This can include fire wardens, fire marshals, facilities staff, healthcare workers, security personnel and other designated employees.
The course is typically delivered as a half-day session, combining essential theory with practical training. The exact duration can vary depending on the provider, group size and practical requirements.
No. Previous experience is required. The course is designed to teach learners the correct operating procedures and practical techniques from the beginning.
You will learn about safe evacuation procedures, pre-use checks, chair deployment, passenger transfer, operator positioning and controlled stair descent. Practical exercises allow you to apply these techniques using an evacuation chair.
Assessment is primarily practical, with the instructor observing your ability to operate the evacuation chair safely and demonstrate the required evacuation techniques. The assessment may also include verbal or short written questions.
Yes. Successful learners receive a certificate issued by the training provider after completing the required training and demonstrating the necessary practical competence.
Certificates are typically valid for three years, although validity can vary between training providers. It is important to check the certificate terms provided by your chosen training provider.
Refresher training is recommended to maintain practical competence and familiarity with the equipment. A three-year refresher cycle is common, although the appropriate interval may depend on your organisation's training arrangements and risk assessment.
Training can be delivered through classroom-based and practical sessions, including on-site workplace training. On-site delivery allows practical exercises to be carried out in an environment relevant to the organisation's evacuation arrangements.
A learner who successfully completes the training can be designated by their organisation to operate an evacuation chair, subject to the organisation's emergency procedures, risk assessment and the specific equipment in use.
Yes, group and workplace training can be arranged where offered by the training provider. On-site delivery can be particularly suitable for organisations that need to train several designated evacuation chair operators.
