Upper-storey evacuation: window, ladder and escape plan
Plan two routes where possible, keep exits accessible and determine how to reach the ground from an upper-storey window.
VERT / GREEN
Draw the plan, keep windows clear and practise evacuation with everyone in the home.
JAUNE / YELLOW
An escape ladder may help from a compatible window, but it must be accessible, understood and usable.
ROUGE / RED
Improvised ladder, inaccessible window or project that reduces required egress: do not treat a ladder as a substitute for building compliance.
Quick triage
What the professional checks
Fire service/building professional can review the plan, exits, windows, obstacles and applicable requirements.
Official sources
Checked 2026-08-23
Related path
Continue with the right tools
These links connect this page to the next useful checks and decisions without repeating the full content.
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Manage the project through closeout
V14
Systems to check before closing the work
V14 connects envelope, air, fire, structure, water and code instead of treating each project in isolation.
V16
Advanced diagnostics to cross-check
V16 connects water, soil, climate, safety, materials and seasonal use to existing projects.
V18
Specialized diagnostics to verify
V18 connects systems that become costly or regulated when a primary project triggers them.
V19
Edge systems to integrate into the project
V19 covers interfaces that become important when multiple home systems interact.
V26
Often-overlooked service interfaces
V26 connects systems that cross utility, plumbing, HVAC, envelope and metering boundaries.
V27
Project risks and overlooked interfaces
V27 connects payment, water, envelope, ventilation and jobsite details that often create costly surprises.
V29
Household safety and compliance details
V29 connects smaller risks that often fall between finishes, appliances, plumbing and local code.
V30
Shared, access and specialized interfaces
V30 connects projects where multiple systems, owners or rules meet.
V31
Commissioning and everyday safety
V31 helps verify systems after work and document the values that make a home safer to operate.
V32
Post-disaster and legacy systems
V32 connects contamination, storm damage, legacy materials and recommissioning before rebuilding.
V33
Invisible constraints before work
V33 checks electrical, legal, environmental and climate constraints that can block a project before demolition starts.