Fire Escape Plan: Requirements, Contents and ISO 7010 Symbols

What is a fire escape plan?

A fire escape plan is a displayed, simplified floor plan that shows people the shortest way out of the building or to a place of relative safety in an emergency. It is aimed at everyone in the building – employees, visitors and guests. It complements the exit signs on doors and corridors: the sign on the spot shows the next direction, the plan gives an overview of the whole floor.

A fire escape plan is not the same as a fire brigade plan (in Germany to DIN 14095), which is made for the fire and rescue service, contains different information and is not displayed to the public.

The plan is part of the wider escape route signage, together with exit signs, illuminated signs and, where needed, low-level wayfinding systems.

When is a fire escape plan required?

Requirements are national. In Germany, workplace rule ASR A2.3 "Escape routes and emergency exits" obliges the employer to draw up an escape plan where the location, size and type of use of the workplace make it necessary. That is typically the case with:

• escape routes that are hard to follow, for example via mezzanines, through large rooms or along angled paths,
• a high proportion of people unfamiliar with the building, such as workplaces open to the public,
• areas with increased hazards, for example from flammable or dangerous substances.

Other countries have comparable rules in workplace, building or fire safety legislation, and building permits or fire strategies often require plans for places of assembly, hotels, hospitals, care homes and schools. Whether your building needs one is determined by the risk assessment, building permit and fire strategy.

What must a fire escape plan show?

ISO 23601 describes the design; national rules such as ASR A2.3 set minimum contents. A plan typically includes:

• floor plan of the building or relevant part, simplified and easy to read,
• viewer's position, marked "You are here",
• escape routes in green, with the direction of escape to the outside or a place of safety,
• emergency exits and stairways,
• first aid equipment such as first aid room, first aid kit, defibrillator, eyewash station,
• fire equipment such as extinguishers, hose reels and manual call points,
• assembly point outdoors,
• instructions on what to do in case of fire and accidents,
• legend of the symbols used and the date of issue or revision.

The plan is correctly oriented: it is aligned the way the viewer is facing, so what is on the left of the plan is also on the left in reality. A plan that is not oriented this way forces people to rotate the layout in their heads in an emergency – a frequent cause of disorientation.

Which symbols appear on fire escape plans?

The plan uses the same ISO 7010 safety signs as the building. The most important:

In addition there is the "You are here" symbol, which is defined in ISO 23601 rather than ISO 7010. All codes and meanings of the green signs are listed in the ISO 7010 safety signs overview.

Where and how should the plan be displayed?

Fire escape plans are displayed at suitable points in sufficient numbers, typically:

• in entrance areas and at the stairways on every floor,
• at corridor junctions and along main circulation routes,
• in areas with many people unfamiliar with the building, such as hotel rooms or meeting rooms.

Mount the plan at a height where it is easy to read and where doors, furniture or decorations do not hide it. The format depends on content and viewing distance; in practice plans are usually at least A3, while smaller formats are used in hotel rooms.

How often must the plan be updated?

A fire escape plan must be up to date. Revise it whenever something shown on it changes, for example:

• alterations, new partitions or a changed room layout,
• new or relocated emergency exits and stairs,
• moved extinguishers, hose reels or first aid equipment,
• a changed assembly point or use.

In Germany, ASR A2.3 also requires evacuation to be practised at appropriate intervals using the plan. An evacuation drill is a good opportunity to check plan, signs and lighting together.

How do escape plans and emergency lighting fit together?

Fire escape plan, exit signs and emergency escape lighting form one system. The escape routes shown in green on the plan must be signed in exactly the same way in the building – and, where escape lighting is required, remain illuminated during a power failure. Contradictions between the plan and the arrow directions of exit signs are among the typical findings in inspections.

Some practical rules follow from this:

• Same route: every escape route on the plan is marked in the building with ISO 7010 exit signs and matching arrows, see Exit sign arrows.
• Illuminated signs along the route: where escape lighting is required, the signs are an exit sign luminaire or an externally lit sign.
• Safety equipment lit: under EN 1838, fire extinguishers, manual call points and first aid points need at least 5 lx vertical in emergency mode if they are not on a lit escape route – see Emergency lighting illuminance.
• Change together: after every alteration, adjust plan, arrow directions and luminaire positions at the same time.
• Readable in an emergency: choose display positions where the plan remains legible if the general lighting fails, for example within the light of an emergency luminaire or as a photoluminescent version.

The escape plan is also a useful basis for planning emergency lighting, because it already shows exits, changes of direction and safety equipment. More in Planning emergency lighting.