Skip to main content
Home
  • Home
  • About us
    Back
    About us
      • Our people
      • Our fire stations
      • Fleet and equipment
      • How we respond to emergency calls
      • Community Risk Management Plan
      • In your area
      • Information and data transparency
      • What we spend
      • Our performance
      • Request information
      • Have your say
        Back
        Have your say
        • Community conversations
        • Complaints
        • Compliments
      • Developing our Service
      • Our environmental strategy
      • Equality and diversity
      • Work with us
      • Covid-19 response
      • Fire Authority
      • Fire, rescue and safety training (Red One)
      • Firefighters' pensions board
  • Newsroom
    Back
    Newsroom
    Ed stood outside 10 Downing Street
    News
    17 Mar 2023

    Ed receives Queen's Commendation for Bravery

    Five female firefighters in front of a fire engine
    News
    07 Mar 2023

    Celebrating International Women’s Day on 8 March

    • Incidents
    • News
    • Events
    • Social media
  • Safety advice
    Back
    Safety advice
      • Safety at home
        Back
        Safety at home
        • How to stay safe
        • Smoke alarms
        • Home safety visits
        • Risks in your home
        • Advice for carers
        • Advice for parents
      • Business safety
        Back
        Business safety
        • Risk assessments
        • High rise buildings
        • Guidance for businesses
        • Landlords and holiday lets
        • Inspections and enforcement
      • Safety outdoors
      • Safety on the road
  • Careers
    Back
    Careers
      • Vacancies
      • Become an on-call firefighter
        Back
        Become an on-call firefighter
        • Application process (on-call)
        • On-call firefighter pay
        • On-call vacancies
        • How on-call firefighters benefit businesses
      • Become a wholetime firefighter
        Back
        Become a wholetime firefighter
        • Application process (wholetime)
      • The role of a firefighter
      • The role of a fire control operator
        Back
        The role of a fire control operator
        • Become a fire control operator
      • Support staff roles
      • Looking after our people
        Back
        Looking after our people
        • Embracing equal opportunities
        • Supporting women in the Service
      • Pay rates
      • Benefits
      • Request a careers talk
  • Education and young people
    Back
    Education and young people
      • Early years, reception and year one
      • Primary schools
        Back
        Primary schools
        • Fire and road safety resources
        • Great Fire of London
        • Primary school fire safety visits
      • Secondary schools
      • Fire starting behaviour in children
      • Young drivers
      • Join the fire cadets
      • Work experience
      • Fire station visits by youth groups
Search

People often search for...

When should I test my smoke alarm?
Home safety visits
Thatch fire safety
Report a problem with a fire hydrant
How safe is my heater?
Chimney fires

Contact

  • Contact us
Accessibility Tool
  • Zoom in
  • Zoom out
  • Reset
  • Contrast
  • Accessibility help

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. What safety advice are you looking for?
  3. Fire safety for battery‐powered scooters and wheelchairs
FacebookTwitterEmailWhatsappMessenger Share

Fire safety for battery‐powered scooters and wheelchairs

There are two fire safety considerations for battery-powered scooters and wheelchairs – where you store them and how they are charged.

This information is for building owners or the responsible person for fire safety. For advice on charging a mobility scooter, read our fire safety advice for people with mobility issues.

Storage of scooters and wheelchairs

You should have a safe area for storing scooters and wheelchairs that will not hinder safe evacuation in the event of a fire. The storage of mobility scooters should be fully fire risk assessed ensuring it does not compromise the means of escape.

Storage inside

Grey

Storage should not impact a fire escape route.

If a mobility scooter is involved in a fire, it can release large volumes of smoke, get very hot, and sometimes have a violent reaction. If they are stored on escape routes, these could become impassable, and residents could be placed at significant risk in the event of a fire. 

Storage areas should:

  • be fully risk assessed
  • be in an area that will not impact on the safe evacuation in the event of a fire
  • be compliant with building regulations relating to the fire-resisting construction
  • must have an early-warning fire alarm system installed.

Storage outside

Grey

If the storage area is outside:

  • it should be located at least six metres away from buildings to reduce fire spread
  • it should be fully risk assessed, considering arson, location, construction, fire spread, access/exit and maintenance.

Charging mobility scooter batteries

Mobility scooter batteries should be charged:

  • in a specially designated, well-ventilated area which has had a fire risk assessment
  • using the specific charging equipment for the vehicle and following the manufacturer’s instructions
  • during the day to reduce the risk to occupants who are asleep
  • in an area away from possible sources of ignition.

Fire risk assessment

The building fire risk assessment should address the risks posed by the storage and charging of battery-powered scooters and wheelchairs. You should ensure that storing battery-powered scooters and wheelchairs will not compromise escape routes in the event of a fire.

In some buildings, it will be challenging to provide secure charging and storage facilities, and in others, there may not be the space to offer adequate internal or external charging or storage facilities. In these circumstances, it may not be possible to allow residents to store or charge mobility scooters due to the size, architecture, and layout.

Fire safety for people with mobility difficulties

Find out more

Fire safety law - what you need to do

Find out more

Fire risk assessments

Find out more

Footer menu

  • Home
  • About us
      • Our people
      • Our fire stations
      • Fleet and equipment
      • How we respond to emergency calls
      • Community Risk Management Plan
      • In your area
      • Information and data transparency
      • What we spend
      • Our performance
      • Request information
      • Have your say
      • Developing our Service
      • Our environmental strategy
      • Equality and diversity
      • Work with us
      • Covid-19 response
      • Fire Authority
      • Fire, rescue and safety training (Red One)
      • Firefighters' pensions board
    • Newsroom
      • Incidents
      • News
      • Events
      • Social media
    • Safety advice
        • Safety at home
        • Business safety
        • Safety outdoors
        • Safety on the road
    • Careers
        • Vacancies
        • Become an on-call firefighter
        • Become a wholetime firefighter
        • The role of a firefighter
        • The role of a fire control operator
        • Support staff roles
        • Looking after our people
        • Pay rates
        • Benefits
        • Request a careers talk
    • Education and young people
        • Early years, reception and year one
        • Primary schools
        • Secondary schools
        • Fire starting behaviour in children
        • Young drivers
        • Join the fire cadets
        • Work experience
        • Fire station visits by youth groups

Translate the website

Footer contact

  • Contact us

Staff login

Always call 999 in an emergency

Did you find this page useful

  • Yes
  • No

Follow us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin
  • Follow us
  • Print this page

Footer bottom

  • Our website
  • Sitemap
  • Cookies
  • Privacy notices
  • Modern Slavery Act 2015
  • Accessibility

Disability Confident employer logoEmployers Network for Equality and Inclusion logoBritish Quality Foundation logoEmployers network for equality and inclusion logoFire pride and allies logo