---
title: "Digital vs Printed Evacuation Diagrams: Australian Law"
description: "Can you use digital screens or tablets instead of printed evacuation diagrams? Learn what AS 3745 says about digital versus printed formats and the practical considerations for Australian businesses."
canonical: https://evacpath.com/blog/digital-vs-printed-evacuation-diagrams-australia
source: https://evacpath.com/blog/digital-vs-printed-evacuation-diagrams-australia
---

# Digital vs Printed Evacuation Diagrams: Australian Law

> Can you use digital screens or tablets instead of printed evacuation diagrams? Learn what AS 3745 says about digital versus printed formats and the practical considerations for Australian businesses.

_EvacPath Team · 2026-04-15 · 7 min read_

As businesses move towards paperless operations and digital signage becomes cheaper and more common, a recurring question is whether evacuation diagrams can be displayed on screens instead of printed and mounted on walls. The short answer: printed, physically mounted diagrams are still required under [AS 3745](https://evacpath.com/blog/evacuation-diagram-requirements-australia):2010. Digital displays can supplement them, but they cannot replace them.

This article explains what the standard actually says, why printed diagrams remain the baseline requirement, and where digital technology can genuinely add value to your emergency planning.

## What AS 3745 Says About Diagram Format

AS 3745:2010, Planning for Emergencies in Facilities, specifies that evacuation diagrams must be "displayed" at required locations within the building. The standard was written in 2010, a time when digital signage in most workplaces was uncommon. The standard does not explicitly say "printed," but its requirements around permanent display, durability, and visibility are written with physical, wall-mounted diagrams in mind.

The standard requires diagrams to be displayed at exits, near fire extinguishers, and at other strategic locations. The intent is that a person walking through the building will encounter the diagram without having to search for it, interact with a device, or wait for content to cycle on a screen. The diagram must be permanently visible and immediately readable.

No state or territory WHS regulator has issued guidance approving digital-only evacuation diagrams as a compliant alternative to printed, mounted diagrams. Until that changes, relying solely on digital displays creates a compliance risk that is easily avoided by maintaining the printed versions.

## Why Printed Diagrams Remain Essential

The fundamental reason printed diagrams remain the standard is reliability. A printed, wall-mounted diagram works in every scenario: during a power failure, during a fire that disables building systems, during a network outage, during an earthquake that damages infrastructure. It requires no electricity, no network connection, no software, and no user interaction. It is always on.

Digital screens fail in exactly the scenarios when evacuation diagrams are most needed. A fire can trip the building's electrical circuits, killing power to digital displays. A smoke-filled corridor makes screen content difficult to read even if the screen is functioning. A network or software failure can cause a digital sign to display the wrong content, no content, or a screensaver. Emergency lighting systems are designed to illuminate physical signage, not to power digital screens.

There is also a human factors consideration. In an emergency, people are stressed, disoriented, and moving quickly. A physical diagram on a wall is immediately recognisable. A digital screen displaying cycling content requires the viewer to wait for the right slide, or interact with the screen to find the diagram. These additional cognitive and physical steps add delay in a time-critical situation.

- Printed diagrams work without power, network, or software
- Digital screens fail when power is lost, which is common in fire events
- Smoke reduces visibility of screen content more than it affects physical signage
- Emergency lighting is designed for physical signage, not digital displays
- Cycling content on digital signs introduces delay in finding the diagram
- No Australian regulator has approved digital-only diagrams as a compliant alternative

## Where Digital Displays Can Add Value

While digital screens cannot replace printed diagrams, they can supplement them effectively in certain environments. Large commercial buildings, corporate offices, and hospitality venues already use digital signage for wayfinding, directories, and information displays. Adding evacuation diagram content to these systems provides an additional layer of information for building occupants.

One area where digital technology genuinely excels is in buildings with changing layouts. Conference centres, event venues, and co-working spaces that regularly reconfigure their floor plans can update digital diagrams instantly, whereas printed diagrams require reprinting and remounting. In these environments, having both printed (showing the standard layout) and digital (showing the current event-specific layout) diagrams provides the best coverage.

Interactive digital directories in building lobbies can include an evacuation information function that allows visitors to find the nearest exit from their current location. This is a genuine improvement over a static wall-mounted diagram for first-time visitors in a large, complex building. However, it must be positioned as a supplement, not a replacement.

## Digital Record Keeping and Diagram Management

Where digital technology provides clear, unambiguous value is in the management of evacuation diagrams rather than the display of them. Maintaining a digital master file for every diagram makes it easy to update, reprint, and track versions. A centralised digital system can flag when diagrams are due for review, track which locations have been updated, and maintain an audit trail for compliance purposes.

For organisations managing multiple sites (retail chains, franchise networks, property portfolios), a digital diagram management system eliminates the chaos of tracking printed diagrams across dozens or hundreds of locations. The master file is updated centrally, the updated PDF is sent to the site for printing and mounting, and the system records when the new version was installed.

Some emergency planning software platforms now offer digital diagram management as part of a broader emergency planning suite. These platforms can be useful for large organisations, but for most small to medium businesses, simply maintaining a well-organised folder of PDF diagram files (with version dates in the filename) is sufficient.

## QR Codes on Evacuation Diagrams

A growing trend is adding QR codes to printed evacuation diagrams. When scanned with a smartphone, the QR code links to additional information: the full Emergency Management Plan, the building's warden contact list, or a detailed interactive floor plan. This is a practical bridge between printed and digital formats.

QR codes do not replace any element of the printed diagram. The diagram itself must contain all mandatory information per AS 3745 regardless of whether a QR code is present. The QR code is purely supplementary. But for staff who want quick access to the EMP, or for visitors who want more information than the diagram provides, a QR code can be a useful addition.

If you add QR codes to your diagrams, ensure the linked content is hosted on a reliable platform that will remain accessible. A QR code that links to a dead URL or an outdated document is worse than no QR code at all. And ensure the QR code does not rely on the building's WiFi network, which may be down during the emergency when someone is most likely to scan it.

## The Bottom Line

Print your evacuation diagrams. Mount them on the wall at the locations specified by AS 3745. Keep them current. If you also want to display them on digital screens, add QR codes, or use a digital management system, those are all good additions. But the printed, wall-mounted diagram is the foundation. It is what the standard requires, it is what the inspector will look for, and it is what will still be working when the power goes out.

EvacPath delivers all evacuation diagrams as print-ready PDF files. You receive high-resolution files that are ready for professional printing and mounting. Send us your floor plan and we will deliver in 3 to 5 business days. Pricing starts at A$70 per diagram.