Expert 3D Photoluminescent Evacuation Plans & Safety Signage for UAE Businesses

An Emergency Evacuation Plan is a comprehensive document that outlines the specific procedures, evacuation routes, and designated meeting points required to safely evacuate people from a building or area during an emergency. It is an essential component of workplace safety, designed to minimise the risk of injury, reduce property damage, and ensure the safety of your employees and visitors.

In the UAE, a well-designed emergency evacuation plan is not just a best practice; it is a mandatory requirement for compliance with local and national safety regulations, including the UAE Fire and Life Safety Code of Practice. Failure to implement and maintain an approved plan can result in substantial fines and legal liabilities, negatively impacting your business's reputation and financial stability. A professional plan goes beyond a simple evacuation map; it encompasses assigned roles, regular training, and clear communication protocols to prevent confusion and panic during a real emergency.

Regular review and updating of your Evacuation Plan are crucial for maintaining compliance and effectiveness. In the UAE, particularly for Early Education Institutions (EEIs), emergency action plans must be reviewed and updated to incorporate any feedback or challenges that arose during an emergency response. The Sharjah Occupational Safety and Health System Code of Practice (OSHJ-CoP-18) also mandates that emergency procedures are reviewed periodically and whenever there are changes in processes.

It is vital to update your plan, especially after building renovations, significant changes in occupancy, or in response to new or updated regulatory requirements from authorities like the Civil Defence Authority (CDA) and Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC).

We offer a range of customised Emergency Evacuation Plans tailored to meet the diverse needs of various facilities across the UAE. Our services include:

• 2D and 3D Evacuation Plans: We create clear, easy-to-understand floor plans in both 2D and 3D formats. 3D evacuation plans are particularly effective as they provide a better representation of the surroundings and aid in quick wayfinding by correctly orienting the reader to their current location.
• Photoluminescent Evacuation Plans: These glow-in-the-dark plans ensure visibility and safety during power outages or low-light conditions, clearly guiding occupants to emergency exits.
• Sector-Specific Plans: We develop tailored plans for various environments, including high-rise buildings, hospitals and healthcare facilities with vulnerable occupants, warehouses with hazardous materials, commercial offices, factories, residential apartments, and schools.
• Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs): These are crucial for individuals who require additional support or guidance to evacuate safely, such as those with disabilities or limited mobility, addressing long- or short-term needs.
• Hazard-Specific Plans: Our expertise extends to plans for various emergency scenarios, including fire evacuation plans, medical emergency plans, disaster evacuation plans (e.g., for flooding or earthquakes), chemical spill evacuation plans, explosion emergency response plans, and confined space evacuation plans. We also cover procedures for lockdowns and sheltering-in-place.

Safety signage is a critical element of any safety strategy in the UAE, mandated to be clear, universally understandable, and compliant with stringent regulations. Key requirements include:

• Regulatory Compliance: All safety signs must align with the UAE Fire and Life Safety Code of Practice, along with specific guidelines from entities like Dubai Municipality and the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC) and OSHAD-SF.
• Bilingual Format: To cater to the diverse population, safety signs are legally mandated to include both Arabic and English, with Arabic text typically placed above the English.
• Pictograms and Universality: The use of internationally recognized pictograms, particularly those specified in ISO 7010, is highly recommended to overcome language and literacy barriers.
• Accessibility: Regulations like the Dubai Universal Design Code emphasise accessibility, requiring clear and simple language, high contrast, appropriate sizing, and Braille and tactile signage for visually impaired individuals, especially in public areas.
• Categories and Colour-Coding: Fire signage is categorised into specific types, each with a standardised colour and shape for immediate recognition:
  • Prohibition Signs (e.g., "No Smoking") outline forbidden actions to reduce fire risk.
  • Mandatory Signs (e.g., "Fire Door Keep Shut") indicate required actions for safety compliance.
  • Warning Signs (e.g., "Flammable Materials") alert to potential hazards, typically triangular and yellow with a black symbol.
  • Safe Condition Signs (green, square/rectangle) direct to fire escape routes, assembly points, and first aid equipment.
  • Fire Equipment Signs (red, with white writing/pictograms) indicate the location of firefighting equipment like fire extinguishers and fire hose reels.
  • Emergency Exit Signs (green, square/rectangle) direct people to the nearest exit.
• Glow-in-the-Dark / Photoluminescent Signs: These are vital for guiding occupants in low-light or smoke-filled conditions.

The design and implementation of Evacuation Plans have evolved significantly with technology. Our process typically involves:

• Site Assessment & Consultation: An initial visit to understand your property's layout, occupancy levels, and unique safety requirements.
• CAD Software: We use industry-standard CAD software like AutoCAD to create precise and scalable floor plans. These tools are equipped with libraries of standardised symbols (e.g., from ISO 7010) for fire extinguishers, first aid stations, and emergency exits.
• Clear Visualisation: Plans are presented as clear, simple floor plans, often in a bird's-eye view, without unnecessary structural details. We use specific colour codes to highlight key information:
  • Yellow for the "You are here" location marker.
  • Black for exits, corridors, and pathways.
  • Green for directional arrows indicating escape routes.
  • Red for fire equipment (like fire extinguishers and manual call points) and First Aid stations (Red Cross symbol).
  • Blue for assembly points.
  • Orange for security or emergency command centers.
• Advanced Formats: We offer 2D and 3D evacuation plans, with 3D plans enhancing spatial understanding and aiding quicker identification of the user's location and nearest exit routes.
• Digital Integration: Modern solutions can include digital displays that provide dynamic, real-time emergency information and integrate with fire alarm systems. We also use emergency management software for centralising response and mobile apps for real-time guidance and accountability during an evacuation, including digital roll calls.

The safety of all occupants, including those with disabilities or limited mobility, is a paramount concern. We address this through:

• Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs): These are individualised plans developed for each person who may require additional support to evacuate safely, whether for long-term or short-term needs.
• Specialised Equipment: EEIs are required to have emergency equipment such as evacuation ropes, evacuation trolleys, and evacuation cribs for the safe evacuation of children and other individuals. Evacuation chairs are also a key solution for moving individuals with mobility issues down stairwells.
• Trained Personnel: Staff designated to assist in such evacuations receive specific training.
• Accessibility Considerations: Plans for hospitals and other facilities with vulnerable occupants include detailed patient safety protocols. For individuals with visual impairments, tactile and Braille signage are recommended, along with clear guidance and training for entering and staying in safe shelters. For those with auditory impairments, special beepers, sign language interpreters, and hearing aids may be provided, alongside visual warning devices and instruction signs to safe shelters. Assembly points should also be easily accessible.

Civil Defence approval is a critical step in the UAE for ensuring that evacuation plans and safety signage meet all legal requirements and standards. The UAE Fire and Life Safety Code of Practice, enforced by the Civil Defence Authority (CDA), is the cornerstone of these regulations. Compliance is mandatory for obtaining operational licenses, and non-compliance can lead to significant penalties.

Yes, bilingual signage (Arabic and English) is mandatory for safety signs in the UAE to ensure messages are understood by the diverse population. Arabic text is typically placed above English text on these signs. This is also reflected in the requirements for assembly point signage.

Workplaces should identify possible emergency scenarios that could affect their operations and pose a threat. These scenarios include, but are not limited to, flooding, earthquakes, severe storms and wind events, severe temperature events, and pandemic diseases like Covid-19. An assessment should determine the likelihood and consequences of each scenario, considering chain reactions (e.g., fire leading to explosion and structural failure), partial or total evacuation, casualties, damage to the environment or critical infrastructure, disruption of work, and loss of vital information.

Evacuation plans must be clear, simple floor plans without structural details. They should highlight:

• "You are Here" location in Yellow
• Exits, corridors, and pathways in Black
• Directional arrows to exits in Green
• Fire equipment (extinguishers, blankets, hose cabinets, valves, pump room, water tank) in Red
• First aid stations with a Red Cross Symbol
• Assembly points in Blue
• Security or emergency command centers in Orange
• Emergency equipment keys in Red

The plans should be posted in prominent, unobstructed, clearly visible, and readable locations at eye level with adequate illumination. They should contain English and Arabic language.

While both 2D and 3D evacuation plans are available, 3D plans are considered more useful as they provide a better representation of the surroundings, including colors and shapes, offering a closer resemblance to real-world objects. This enhanced spatial understanding helps occupants quickly identify their position and visualize the quickest routes to exits. Some providers emphasize creating high-quality, legally compliant 2D and 3D plans at competitive prices.

Safety signage is categorized to ensure immediate recognition and quick interpretation. Key categories include:

• Prohibition Signs: Red circles with a diagonal line, indicating prohibited actions (e.g., "No Smoking").
• Mandatory Signs: Blue circular shapes with white symbols/lettering, indicating required actions (e.g., "Fire Door Keep Shut," mandatory PPE).
• Warning Signs: Yellow triangular shapes with black symbols, alerting to potential dangers or hazards (e.g., flammable materials, fire risk).
• Safe Condition Signs: Indicate fire escape routes, assembly points, and first aid equipment.
• Fire Exit Signs: Direct people to emergency exits, often photoluminescent or glow-in-the-dark.
• Fire Fighting Equipment Signs: Provide clear identification and location of equipment like extinguishers or fire alarms.
• Supplementary Information Signs: Provide further instruction, such as directional arrows or additional text.

To cater to its diverse population, the UAE mandates that safety signs be bilingual, typically in Arabic and English, with the Arabic text usually placed above the English. Authorities like the Dubai Health Authority and OSHAD emphasize using clear and simple language and internationally recognized pictograms (like those from ISO 7010) to overcome language and literacy barriers. For accessibility, Braille and tactile signs are recommended for visual impairments, particularly in public areas, and lettering must have high contrast (at least 30%) with the background and be of appropriate size for readability.

Photoluminescent or glow-in-the-dark signs are crucial for safety because they absorb natural or artificial light and then emit light in darkness without electricity or batteries, usually lasting several hours after lights go out. This ensures visibility of fire exit signs, evacuation plans, stair markers, and emergency routes during power failures or fires, making them easier for people to see clearly. These signs are made of vinyl film coated with photoluminescent pigment, often strontium aluminate.

ISO 7010 is the foundational international standard that provides a standardized system of safety information, primarily using pictograms to minimize the need for words. It prescribes the shape, color, and graphical symbols for signs related to accident prevention, fire protection, health hazards, and emergency evacuation. This is crucial in the UAE's multinational workforce for universal understanding. ISO 3864 works alongside ISO 7010, setting design principles for safety colors and shapes to ensure visual consistency and instant recognition. The UAE Fire and Life Safety Code of Practice is influenced by international standards like NFPA, and internationally recognized pictograms are recommended.

Educational content should directly address myths such as:

• "My building is new and has sprinklers, so we don't need a detailed evacuation plan." (Sprinklers control fire but don't replace an evacuation strategy).
• "The Civil Defence/Fire Brigade will rescue everyone." (Emergency services expect buildings to be evacuated; primary responsibility is with management/occupants).
• "We can use the elevators in an emergency." (Unless specifically approved, elevators pose risks like power failures and smoke-filled shafts).
• "An evacuation plan is just a map on the wall." (A true plan is a comprehensive strategy with roles, training, and communication protocols).
• "Our plan only needs to cover employees during work hours." (Plans must account for everyone, including visitors, contractors, and those working overtime).