Employers should have an evacuation map that can be used to guide people safely from their workplace to a safe area outside the building in the event of an emergency. For people with vision impairment, employers should create tactile maps and signage outlining the evacuation route.
Tactile signage and graphics can be created by the use of Braille embossers or by similar methods to produce raised maps or characters. Tactile maps should be designed to produce clear and simple information to reflect the evacuation route.
Workplace solutions and adjustments
Tactile maps for evacuation are essential in the workplace where there is a person with vision impairment.
Employers have a legal responsibility to have a structured comprehensive evacuation program, which includes provisions for evacuation of people with disability. Evacuation procedures should be planned in consultation with persons with specific needs, and training should be implemented to ensure safety to all employees in the event of an emergency. Consultation with an occupational therapist, occupational health and safety workplace assessor and the State Fire and Emergency Service may be beneficial when planning for an emergency.
Other evacuation products that may be useful when considering evacuation products can be found at the following links:
References
Job Accommodation Network 2008, Evacuation Devices, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, viewed 29 March 2011, http://www.jan.wvu.edu/media/emergency.html.
Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training 2007, Information Access: Guidelines for the production of tactile maps, Australian Government Department of Education: Science and Training, Launceston, viewed 29 March 2011, http://www.adcet.edu.au/View.aspx?id=4351.