Because there is a legal requirement for all premises of a commercial or public nature to provide access to people of all abilities, and also to have methods in place to evacuate people safely, it is essential for those premises to be equipped with evacuation chairs.

Evacuation chairs are designed to transport to safety those persons who are not able to make an exit under their own steam. Whilst it is a relatively simple task to obtain an evacuation chair, although careful consideration should be given to its design, using one in practice is often another matter.

Evacuation chair operator training is available, but much better if you can have your own trainers in-house amongst your own staff who can take responsibility for ensuring there are always sufficient numbers of competent chair handlers on the premises. Not having to outsource training saves money and is far less disruptive to the working day.

Of course, your chosen evacuation chair operator trainers will need to be adequately qualified in order to deliver the training effectively. So how to go about choosing the right evacuation chair train the trainer course? Here are four key things to look for.

Official Accreditation

A nationally recognised qualification goes a long way to instilling confidence in both the trainer, and those being trained by them. The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) is the world’s largest professional health and safety membership organisation with more than 44,000 members in over 120 countries. A course that is accredited by IOSH will provide a great deal of reassurance that its content meets the highest possible standards.

Impartial Advice

Some evacuation chair manufacturers offer training, but this will only cover their model. If you happen to have a range of different makes of evacuation chairs on your premises, this will obviously not work. Also it is better to use a training company that is willing to train on a variety of makes of evacuation chairs and that will provide impartial advice on the pros and cons of the different models, so that you are able to make an informed buying decision.

Practical Training

Look for a course that includes practical training on correct patient transfer techniques. Some courses deliberately omit techniques to transfer a patient into a wheelchair, which is usually because the trainers are not familiar with people and patient moving and handling. Unfortunately in some cases this inexperience can lead to the teaching of controversial techniques that can put both patient and handler at risk. Courses should include a large proportion of hands-on practice across the various scenarios that will typically arise in an evacuation scenario.

Training Support Pack

Once qualified, trainers will need to plan and present their own training sessions. A course that assists them in doing so by providing a comprehensive training pack including a lesson plan and presentation will help take the leg work out of preparation.

The one-day IOSH Evacuation Chair Train the Trainer course offered by Alistair Bromhead Ltd complies with all of the above elements. On completing the course, delegates will receive a nationally recognised qualification and will be able to conduct appropriate training in the safe and correct use of evacuation chairs to other members of staff. A comprehensive course manual including a lesson plan and PowerPoint presentation template together with illustrative video clips, reference material and other useful extras is also included.

Please get in touch for full course details or to check availability.