When I walk into a school, office or workshop, one of the first things I look at is the evacuation diagram on the wall. I look for the “You Are Here” marker, and then I check which way the floor plan is facing.
The “You Are Here” location is one of the most important features of an evacuation diagram, because it gives the person looking at it an immediate reference point. It is also the detail I see done wrong more often than any other. In this article I explain what AS 3745-2010 asks for, why orientation matters so much when people are under pressure, the mistakes I come across, and how we at CMG draw each diagram for the exact spot where it will hang.
What AS 3745-2010 says about orientation
AS 3745-2010 is the Australian Standard for planning for emergencies in facilities. Two clauses do most of the work for evacuation diagrams.
- Clause 3.5.4 (Orientation) requires the diagram to be orientated to the position of the person viewing it. In plain terms, what is in front of you on the diagram should be in front of you in the room.
- Clause 3.5.5 (Minimum elements) sets out what every diagram must show, and the “You Are Here” location is one of those elements, alongside the title, exits, paths of travel, the assembly area, fire equipment, a legend and a validity date.
Clause 3.5.5 is a minimum requirement, not a wish list. A diagram that leaves out the “You Are Here” marker, or shows it on a plan that is turned the wrong way, does not do the job the Standard intends.
Why a rotated floor plan matters in an emergency
The “You Are Here” marker identifies where the diagram is installed. Because diagrams are installed on walls that face north, south, east or west, the floor plan itself has to rotate to suit each location. If the diagram is on a south-facing wall, the plan is drawn so that “up” on the page is the direction the reader is facing, not north.
In smoke, darkness, with alarms sounding and children or staff looking to you for direction, nobody has time to turn a map around in their head. People need information they can understand at a glance.
When the plan matches what the reader can see around them, a few things happen quickly:
- They know exactly where they are in the building, straight away.
- They can follow the evacuation route, because the marked location connects logically to the paths of travel drawn on the plan.
- They choose the right exit for their part of the building, rather than heading for an exit that looks close on paper but is behind them in reality.
In practical terms, a floor plan without a “You Are Here” marker can show someone the building, but it does not tell them where they are in that building. A plan with the marker but the wrong orientation can be worse, because it gives people confidence in the wrong direction.
Common mistakes I see on evacuation diagrams
Across the schools and workplaces I have worked with, the same problems come up again and again.
One diagram copied to every wall
This is the most common one. A single floor plan is drawn once, with north at the top, and the same print is hung in every corridor and classroom. Only one or two of those copies can be correctly orientated. Everywhere else, the reader has to mentally rotate the plan.
The marker is in the wrong place
Diagrams get moved during painting, refurbishments or when a room changes use. The “You Are Here” dot stays where it was originally drawn, so the diagram now points to a spot down the hall.
No marker at all
Some older diagrams are simply building plans with exits highlighted. Without a “You Are Here” location they do not meet clause 3.5.5.
A marker that is hard to find
A tiny dot in a similar colour to the surrounding linework is easy to miss. The marker should be the first thing the eye lands on.
Paths of travel that do not start at the marker
The route to the nearest exit should begin where the reader is standing. If the arrows start somewhere else on the plan, people have to work out the first leg themselves.
How we draw each diagram for its mounting point
At CMG, every diagram is drawn for the exact location where it will be installed. That is the only way to meet clause 3.5.4 properly.
- We confirm the mounting location first. Before a diagram is finalised, we know which wall it is going on and which way the reader will be facing.
- We rotate the plan to suit the viewer. A building with diagrams on several walls will have several versions of the same floor plan, each turned to match its position.
- We place the “You Are Here” marker precisely and make it clear and easy to spot.
- We connect the marker to the paths of travel, so the route to the nearest exit and the alternative exit starts from where the reader stands.
- We include the other minimum elements from clause 3.5.5, including fire equipment shown with the correct symbols and colours, extinguishers by type, hose reels, fire blankets, alarm call points, the assembly area, a legend and a validity date.
- We keep the drawings on file. When a room changes or a diagram needs to move, we can update the plan for its new position without starting from scratch.
A quick self-check for your site
You do not need a copy of the Standard to spot most problems. Stand in front of one of your diagrams and work through this list.
- Is there a clear “You Are Here” marker, and can you find it within a few seconds?
- Is the marker actually where you are standing right now?
- If you face the diagram, does the plan match what is in front of you, to your left and to your right?
- Does the path of travel start at the marker and lead to the nearest exit?
- Is an alternative exit shown?
- Is the assembly area shown and easy to identify?
- Is there a validity date, and is it still current?
- Has the building changed since the diagram was drawn, such as new walls, demountables or rooms with a new use?
If you answered “no” or “not sure” to any of these, it is worth having your diagrams looked at. I recommend a diagram review at least every five years, and straight away whenever your site changes.
Talk to Craig about your diagrams
I have designed evacuation diagrams for more than 300 WA schools, along with workplaces across Perth and regional Western Australia. If you are not sure whether your diagrams are orientated correctly, send them through and I will take a look.
You can call me on 1300 355 686 or 0430 443 477, or get in touch through cmgsafety.com.au. If we have drawn for your site before, we will already have your drawings on file, which makes the process quick and simple.
