Emergency Evacuation Plans, Drawn from a LiDAR Scan

A4AC Architects draws emergency evacuation plans for offices, schools, factories, residential buildings and healthcare facilities across South Africa. Most evacuation plans fail at the first step because the floor plan underneath is out of date or wrong. We start by scanning the building with LiDAR, so every corridor, door and stair on your evacuation plan is where it really is.

What an evacuation plan shows

An evacuation plan is a simplified floor plan, mounted on the wall, that shows people how to get out. Ours show:

• A "you are here" marker, oriented the way the reader is facing

• Primary and alternative escape routes to the nearest exits

• Emergency exits, stairs and assembly points

• Fire extinguishers, hose reels, alarm call points and first-aid points

• Safety symbols to SANS 1186-1, with a clear legend

We produce one plan for each location where it will be mounted, so the orientation is right at every point. We also draw a site plan showing the assembly area.

Why start with a scan

Old drawings rarely match the building. Partitions move, doors get bricked up and stores take over corridors. A LiDAR point-cloud survey captures the building as it stands, in hours, and gives us a measured base plan. The same scan also gives you accurate as-built plans for future alterations, council submissions and facilities management.

If you already have reliable, current plans, we can work from those and check them on site instead.

An architect's eye on your escape routes

Because we are a SACAP-registered architecture practice, we don't only draw what is there; we also check whether it works. Under SANS 10400-T, buildings must have escape routes of adequate width and travel distance, with properly signed exits. If the scan shows a dead-end corridor, a locked exit or a travel distance that is too long, we flag it and can design and document the fix.

Who we draw for

We've drawn evacuation plans for commercial offices, education buildings and residential blocks. Typical clients:

• Office buildings and corporate campuses

• Schools, colleges and student residences

• Factories, warehouses and workshops

• Apartment blocks and sectional-title schemes

• Clinics, healthcare facilities and mortuaries

Running a staff canteen, restaurant or kitchen in the building? We also draw plans for a Certificate of Acceptability, and we can use the same survey for both.

What you receive

• Evacuation plans for each mounting location, as print-ready PDF (A3 or your chosen size)

• A site plan with assembly points

• DWG base plans of every floor

• Optional: a short report on any escape-route issues the survey found

The plans form part of your emergency plan under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Your written evacuation procedures and fire drills remain the responsibility of your health and safety officer; the drawings support them.

What it costs

The fee depends on the size of the building, the number of floors and mounting points, and whether we need to scan it. Send us the address, the floor area and whether you have current plans, and we'll quote a fixed fee.

Frequently asked questions

Who can draw an emergency evacuation plan?
Anyone can draw one, but it is only useful if the floor plan underneath is accurate. We are architects who measure the building with LiDAR first, so the routes, exits and equipment are in the right places.

What must an evacuation plan show?
A "you are here" point, escape routes to the nearest exits, alternative routes, exits and stairs, the assembly point, firefighting equipment and alarm call points, with standard safety symbols and a legend.

How many evacuation plans does a building need?
Usually one at each main entrance, stair lobby and corridor junction, each oriented for the person reading it. We'll propose locations after the survey.

Do you also write evacuation procedures?
No. We draw the plans and check the escape routes. Written evacuation procedures and fire drill schedules are prepared by your health and safety officer or consultant.

Can you do evacuation plans outside Johannesburg?
Yes. We work in any municipality in South Africa.

Need evacuation plans for your building?

Email info@a4ac.co.za with the address, floor area and number of floors.