If you run a hotel, a shop, an office or a production site, sooner or later you will hear both terms — "evacuation scheme" and "evacuation plan". In conversation they often mean the same thing, but in Regulation № 8121з-647 they are two different things. Here is exactly what is required, for which facilities, and how to check whether your scheme is in order.
In short
- The evacuation plan consists of a text part and schemes (the graphic part) — Annex № 2 to Regulation № 8121з-647.
- It is prepared for certain classes of facilities — regardless of the number of people or when there are more than 50 people at the same time.
- Schemes are placed within 7 m of entrances, every 15–25 m along evacuation routes and at a height of 1.4–2 m.
- They are updated on refurbishments, a change of use, a change of equipment or a change of responsible persons.
Scheme or plan — what is the difference?
Under the regulation the evacuation plan is the complete document and has two parts:
- text part — the functional fire hazard classes of the rooms, the category of the building according to its occupants, the sequence of actions and the duties of employees;
- graphic part — these are the evacuation schemes: the floor layouts and the site plan with the assembly points.
The scheme is what you see hanging on the wall. The plan is part of the facility's fire safety documentation: its text part is kept together with the fire safety file and the other fire safety documents (art. 8, para. 1, item 1 and art. 9). The part with the employees' actions is also placed in prominent places — for example at the reception or with the persons responsible for fire safety (Annex № 2, item 2.2).
Which facilities need one
An evacuation plan (and with it, schemes) is prepared according to the functional fire hazard class of the facility (art. 11, para. 2):
Regardless of the number of people
- kindergartens, nurseries, hospitals and social care facilities (Ф1.1)
- hotels, hostels, guesthouses, dormitories, holiday homes (Ф1.2)
- cinemas, theatres, halls, libraries, community centres (Ф2.1); museums, galleries, discos, casinos (Ф2.2)
- schools, colleges and universities (Ф4.1)
When more than 50 people are present at the same time
- shops, restaurants, banks, administrative buildings with visitors, outpatient clinics (class Ф3)
When there is at least one room for more than 50 people at the same time
- offices and administrative buildings (Ф4.2), production (Ф5.1), warehouses, garages and car parks (Ф5.2)
Residential buildings (Ф1.3 and Ф1.4) are exempt. For banks, schemes are allowed only for the cash halls and the customer service rooms. The class of your facility is stated in its design; if you are not sure — write to us.
What every scheme contains
According to Annex № 2 to the regulation, every scheme contains:
- the floor (internal layout) or part of it — with all rooms, doors and the direction in which they open;
- a site plan with the assembly point;
- a "You are here" sign, oriented to the point where the scheme is hung;
- signs for routes and exits, fire-fighting equipment and the assembly point;
- a legend of the signs used;
- an indication of the facility, address, building and floor it refers to;
- the sequence of actions in case of fire;
- for hotels, hospitals and kindergartens (categories Б and В) — a short description of the safety measures during evacuation.
More requirements that are often missed:
- In buildings with foreign guests (hotels) the scheme must also be in English.
- A site plan is mandatory if the facility has more than one building, if the floor is divided into several schemes, or if there is more than one assembly point. It shows the neighbouring buildings, roads, water sources and hydrants, and the building the scheme refers to is hatched. North points the same way as on the scheme.
- The scheme is drawn to scale, in a format not smaller than A3 (A4 is allowed only on the door of rooms in category Б buildings). The layout takes up at least 2/3 of its area.
- Signs are not smaller than 6 × 6 mm, and the assembly point sign is 9 × 9 mm.
- A logo or phone number of the company that prepared the scheme is placed so that it cannot be mistaken for part of the scheme. Signatures and stamps are not mandatory.
Where and how it is placed
Under art. 11, paras. 5 and 6, schemes are placed in prominent places:
- within 7 m of the building entrances and within 3 m of the floor exits to the evacuation stairs;
- every 25 m along evacuation routes (occupants of category А — for example offices, shops, production) or every 15–20 m (categories Б and В — for example hotels, dormitories, kindergartens, care homes);
- on the inside of the door of every room with sleeping accommodation — for category Б buildings (hotels);
- at a height of 1.4 to 2 m from the floor to the highest part of the scheme — a new requirement since 29.06.2025;
- on walls or other fixed parts of the building.
Every scheme is drawn for the specific place where it will hang: "You are here" and the directions of the corridors must match the viewpoint of the person standing in front of it. That is why a scheme moved to another wall may be wrong.
When it is updated
The evacuation plan (and its schemes) is updated on:
- refurbishments that affect structural elements;
- a change of the facility's use;
- a change of process equipment;
- the departure or change of employees with duties under the plan.
A scheme that does not match the real situation is not only useless in a fire, it also fails to meet art. 11, para. 7.
Evacuation drills and the fire safety file
A drill is also held under the plan: at least once a year for most facilities, and at least twice a year for public buildings with occupants of categories А2, Б2 and В, as well as for schools and kindergartens. Since 29.06.2025 the owner or manager notifies the RSPBZN in writing 10 days in advance. The drill is certified with a protocol, and the protocols for the current and previous calendar year go into the facility's fire safety file.
Beyond the minimum: ISO 23601
The regulation sets the mandatory minimum. There is also an international standard, ISO 23601, for evacuation schemes (DIN ISO 23601 in Germany, NEN 1414 in the Netherlands). It is not mandatory in Bulgaria, but it shows what is considered good practice:
- colours under ISO 3864: arrows and evacuation routes — green (RAL 6032), fire-fighting equipment — red (RAL 3001), warning signs — yellow (RAL 1003), on a white background;
- symbols under EN ISO 7010, the same as installed in the building — see EN ISO 7010 symbols;
- larger signs and lines: signs at least 7 mm high (the regulation allows 6 mm), structural walls with a line of at least 1.6 mm;
- a standard header "Evacuation scheme" in green and the same scale for all schemes of one facility;
- the right meaning of the arrows: "arrow up" for "continue straight on", "arrow down" — only for going down stairs (see escape route signs);
- date and number of the scheme, regular checks of legibility and replacement of worn ones — the standard provides for replacement every 5 years under normal conditions.
Quick check of your scheme
- Is there a scheme on every floor and at the places given by the distances above?
- Does the layout match the real one — walls, doors, rooms?
- Does "You are here" match the point where the scheme hangs?
- Are the routes, exits, fire extinguishers, fire hose reels, manual call points and electrical panels shown?
- Is there a legend and the actions in case of fire?
- Is there a site plan with an assembly point (where required)?
- Is there an English version (hotels and facilities with foreign guests)?
- Is the format at least A3 and is it hung at 1.4–2 m?
- Has it been updated after the last refurbishment, change of use or change of responsible persons?
We create individual evacuation schemes and plans based on the real layout of the facility, not a template. If you are not sure whether yours meets the requirements, get in touch.
