A Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) is a tailored evacuation plan designed to ensure that an individual who may need assistance can leave a building safely during an emergency. This includes scenarios such as fire, security incidents, chemical leaks or any situation requiring immediate evacuation. A PEEP identifies the support a person may need, who will provide it, the safest routes to use and any equipment required to ensure their safe exit.
PEEPs are essential for protecting employees, visitors and contractors who may be vulnerable due to mobility impairments, sensory limitations, health conditions or temporary injuries. They form a key part of wider emergency planning and represent an employer’s responsibility under UK fire safety, equality and health & safety law. When someone cannot self-evacuate or may struggle to do so reliably, a PEEP is required to ensure their safety.
Kingfisher Professional Services supports organisations with developing, implementing and reviewing effective PEEPs as part of comprehensive fire safety, risk management and health & safety compliance.
What Is a PEEP?
What a PEEP Does
A PEEP outlines exactly how a specific individual will be evacuated in an emergency. It explains what support they need, who will provide that support, and how the evacuation will proceed from start to finish. This may include escorting routes, equipment such as evacuation chairs, the use of refuge areas, or communication methods for those with hearing or visual impairments. The plan provides clarity for the individual concerned as well as for fire wardens, colleagues and evacuation assistants who may be responsible for helping them.
A PEEP removes uncertainty during a crisis. Instead of relying on assumptions or ad-hoc decisions, staff understand the exact procedure to follow, the timing involved and their own role in supporting a safe evacuation.
Who Needs a PEEP?
A PEEP is required whenever an individual cannot evacuate a building safely without assistance. This includes a wide range of circumstances, such as long-term disabilities including wheelchair use, impaired mobility, reduced hearing or vision, cognitive impairment or neurological conditions. It also extends to temporary conditions such as injuries, pregnancy, recovery from medical procedures or short-term conditions that restrict movement or balance.
People with medical conditions, anxiety disorders or other health-related factors that may slow or prevent self-evacuation may also require a PEEP. Importantly, PEEPs are not limited to employees. Visitors, contractors, clients and any regular building users must also be considered where assistance may be required.
Legal and Regulatory Context: Employer & Responsible Person Obligations
Under UK fire safety legislation, including the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the “responsible person”, typically the employer or building manager, must ensure that everyone in the building can evacuate safely. This includes those who may need extra support. A generic evacuation plan is insufficient where an individual would not be able to use standard exit routes or respond in the same way as others.
Failing to implement appropriate arrangements, including PEEPs where necessary, may constitute a breach of fire safety duties. It can also expose an organisation to claims under the Equality Act 2010 if a disabled person is disadvantaged. Ensuring safe evacuation is both a legal requirement and an essential component of non-discriminatory, inclusive practice.
Emergency plans must be “suitable and sufficient”. This means they must meet the real and practical needs of every building user. A PEEP ensures that employers can demonstrate compliance and fulfil their duty of care to individuals who require support to evacuate.
How to Create a PEEP: Step-by-Step Guide for Employers / Facilities Managers
Step 1: Identify Who Needs a PEEP
The first step is to determine who may struggle to evacuate unaided. This involves reviewing staff roles, visitor access arrangements and ongoing changes to personnel. Individuals with mobility limitations, sensory impairments, health conditions, temporary injuries or hidden disabilities must be considered. A simple question helps guide decision-making: Can this person safely evacuate the building without help? If the answer is uncertain, a PEEP should be explored.
Employers should consider not only permanent employees but also contractors, customers, clients or frequent visitors. Systems should be in place for identifying visitors who may need assistance, particularly in public-access buildings.
Step 2: Engage with the Individual and Assess Their Needs
A PEEP must be designed collaboratively. Employers should meet with the individual to discuss their needs, limitations and preferences in an open, sensitive and respectful manner. What works for one person may not suit another, even when they have similar impairments.
This stage should incorporate a person-centred fire risk assessment, evaluating the layout of the building, the availability of equipment, the most practical escape routes and where safe refuge points are located. The assessment should also consider how emergencies might differ during office hours, out-of-hours or in unusual circumstances.
Step 3: Define the Evacuation Plan – Routes, Support, Equipment & Responsibilities
The PEEP should document the evacuation process step by step. This includes identifying primary and alternative routes, detailing any refuge areas and specifying what equipment may be required, such as evacuation chairs, ramps or communication devices.
Responsibility must be allocated clearly. Named evacuation assistants – trained individuals willing and able to support the evacuation – must be assigned. Their responsibilities and required actions must be documented. The plan should also include details of any training or drills required to ensure competence.
Step 4: Document and Store the PEEP, and Communicate It Clearly
The PEEP must be written clearly and concisely, using accessible language. It should be stored securely, with access provided to those who need to implement or support the plan, such as evacuation assistants, fire wardens, managers or reception staff.
The individual concerned should receive a copy of the plan and have the opportunity to ask questions or request adjustments. Staff with responsibilities must be informed of their roles, trained appropriately and familiar with any equipment involved.
Step 5: Integrate into the Wider Emergency Plan and Review Regularly
A PEEP must form a core part of an organisation’s overall emergency strategy. It should be integrated into fire evacuation procedures, included in relevant training and practised as part of drills where appropriate.
Regular reviews are essential. PEEPs should be revised whenever a person’s needs change, when building layouts are altered, or when drills or incidents highlight areas requiring improvement. Keeping records of reviews, training and updates supports compliance and ensures the plan remains effective.
Best Practice & Practical Considerations
Developing an effective PEEP requires sensitivity, planning and a commitment to inclusive safety. Employers should ensure that personal information, including medical or disability-related details, is handled confidentially and only shared with those who need to know.
A PEEP must always rely on internal processes, not external emergency services, as fire crews cannot be assumed to provide assistance during an evacuation. Whenever possible, workplaces should also adapt the environment to remove barriers. This may include maintaining accessible routes, ensuring refuge areas meet safety standards, installing visual or vibrating alarms or providing evacuation chairs.
Training is vital. Evacuation assistants must understand their role and feel confident in carrying it out. Drills and familiarisation sessions help ensure readiness and identify issues before an emergency occurs.
PEEPs must evolve. They should be reviewed whenever staff changes occur, the building layout is altered or when individuals experience changes in health, mobility or working arrangements. Keeping PEEPs current is essential for ensuring ongoing safety and legal compliance.
How Kingfisher Professional Services Can Help
We support organisations in creating safe, compliant and inclusive evacuation arrangements by offering clear guidance, practical oversight and expert advice. While employers remain responsible for their own emergency planning, we help them understand what a suitable and sufficient PEEP involves and how to implement it effectively. Our services include:
- Expert advice on identifying who requires a PEEP and completing person-centred assessments that reflect individual needs and building constraints.
- Support developing tailored PEEPs that clearly outline routes, roles, equipment requirements and evacuation responsibilities.
- Practical assistance with assigning and training evacuation assistants, ensuring they understand their duties and feel confident using any required equipment.
- Guidance on running evacuation drills, integrating PEEPs into wider emergency procedures and ensuring plans remain effective in real-world scenarios.
- Ongoing consultancy to update PEEPs when staff circumstances change, buildings are modified or new risks emerge.
Our consultants combine strong fire-safety knowledge with practical health and safety expertise to help employers meet their legal responsibilities and build a culture of safe, inclusive evacuation. By partnering with Kingfisher, organisations can strengthen compliance, reduce risk and ensure that every individual is supported appropriately during an emergency.
Conclusion
A Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan is an essential element of inclusive workplace safety. By identifying needs early, working collaboratively with individuals and ensuring PEEPs are embedded within wider emergency procedures, employers can uphold their legal duties and protect every building user. Regular reviews, training and sensitive handling of personal information support both safety and dignity in evacuation planning.
Kingfisher Professional Services is committed to helping organisations create robust, legally compliant PEEPs that safeguard people and strengthen workplace resilience.