7.21 Management actions to maintain means of escape Once the means of escape have been identified within a building, there remains an outright obligation on the management of the premises to maintain the evacuation routes. This potentially requires a number of aspects:
• Initially, awareness of - and then training in - the use of the means of escape.
• The evacuation routes should be clearly indicated and the routes, refuges, and exits should be kept clear of obstacles and combustible materials.
• Emergency lighting should be checked for effectiveness on a scheduled basis.
• Evacuation tests should be carried out periodically, to asses the time taken and determine the cause of any problems, and to familiarise the occupants with the means of evacuation.
• Any signs must be checked and replaced if necessary.
• Regular audits of the premises should include the routes of evacuation.
7.22 Means of escape for disabled persons A significant source of research and information is the British Standards (BS) BS 5588 Fire Precautions in the design and construction of buildings
Part 8: Code of practice for means of escape for disabled people
The introduction of this document states that "management systems are an essential part of means of escape for disabled people.
"It is envisaged that those responsible for the management of existing buildings would adopt the principles underlying this standard and its recommendations as part of their routine administrative procedures"
Dependent upon the needs of the disabled person or type and severity of the disability, various methods can be used to assist the means of escape.
With evacuation lifts, the general rules are that the lift should be located in a well- protected enclosure. It should have a switch enabling a supervisor to override the landing
call buttons and take the lift to floors from which disabled people need to be evacuated.
Guidance on safeguarding evacuation lifts is given in BS5588: Part 8
This suggests that there are two types of lift that can be used for escape:
"Unlike a normal passenger lift, it is essential that any evacuation lift can continue to operate safely when there is a fire in the building. Although it is not necessary to provide a lift for the escape of disabled people, a fire fighting lift (which is provided principally for the use of the fire service in fighting fires ) may be used for the evacuation of disabled people prior to the arrival of the fire service, who will then assume responsibility of any remaining persons."
The document says that if you have an evacuation lift, then it should always be used.
In order to facilitate this:
• Liaison with the fire service is necessary.
• Operation of the lift should be controlled by management of the building.
• In work places, staff should be trained.
• The lift car should only be taken to appropriate levels.
• Only disabled people should use it.
• Senior staff should be designated to assist in the process.
• Anyone planning to use a fire fighting lift for evacuation purposes should inform their local fire service.
7.23 Refuge (taken from BS5588) A refugee is defined as an area that is enclosed with fire-resisting construction (other than any part which is an external wall of a building) and served directly by a safe route to a storey exit, evacuation lift or final exit, thus constituting a temporary safe space for disabled people to await assistance for their evacuation.
There is a note with this clause which states:
"Refuges are relatively safe waiting areas for short periods. They are not areas where disabled people should be left indefinitely until rescued by the fire brigade, or until the fire is extinguished. (This should not be confused with the use of refuges in the progressive horizontal evacuation, e.g. in hospitals)"
Clauses 13 -16 of the BS give advice to management as to how to provide suitable assistance.
• Evacuation procedures should be pre-planned.
• Staff training and knowledge of the implementation are vital.
• Agreed procedures should be confirmed in writing.
• These should be practiced once or twice a year.
• A practice fire drill, including disabled people, should be carried out at least once a
year (the fire brigade should be informed of this).
It suggests that extra training should be given to staff in buildings where the public is present.
In buildings where an overnight stay is intended, people requiring assisted escape should be encouraged to make themselves known to management during check-in procedures.
In assembly buildings, it is considered the number of disabled people requiring assistance will be small. However, where a large group of disabled people is present, then the organizers should discuss the emergency evacuation arrangements with the management.
Evacuation procedure for disabled people should start the minute the alarm is raised, even in two-stage evacuations.
In phase 1, they can be moved to a refuge. However, the document states that should a full escape be necessary, they should be assisted to a place of safety.
A refuge can also be used for disabled people to rest whilst making their escape, and whilst waiting for help to move from the refuge to the final exit point.
In certain buildings, during a small incident, it could be possible to utilize the passive fire- resisting elements of the building, which might allow disabled persons to move horizontally to the next fire compartment. It may then be possible to wait with a nominated person and thereafter return to the area from which the person started out after the emergency has ended.
For persons who are either (or both) visually or hearing impaired, special considerations will be required in the way the evacuations are made known and evacuation routes are marked.
Hearing impaired persons can be notified of the need for evacuation by a specific flashing light or strobe activated at the same time as an evacuation bell or klaxon etc. In a previous section, we covered ‘safe condition signage’ and the requirement for graphic representation; this is put to good effect in routes for the hearing impaired to follow.
Visually impaired persons would be notified by an alarm siren. This can also be supplemented by a system utilizing an automated voice to broadcast information and commands. The use of tactile signs using the Braille language should be incorporated along evacuation routes to guide the person to points of safety.
For those persons who are both visually and hearing impaired, a simple solution is the use of the ‘buddy system’ in which an able person is assigned to guide the disabled person via the evacuation routes to points of safety. The buddy system can also be used to assist the evacuation of persons mentioned in the two preceding paragraphs.
To decide upon the most appropriate system to assist in the evacuation of a disabled person, it may be an advantage to engage the person at the planning stage. One way of doing this is the use of a specific questionnaire; such a questionnaire as used by the University of
St. Andrews can be down loaded as a sample from here
8.0 Outline of requirements of the relevant legislation All offices, shops, railway premises, hotels, and factories are subject to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
This order requires that the responsible person for the premises produce a fire risk assessment (this replaces the need for the fire certificate previously issued by the local Fire Brigade).
The fire risk assessment should be reviewed in the same circumstances as a risk assessment would be,
• at least annually;
• if personnel change;
• if new equipment/chemicals/substances are used on-site or existing substances are substituted;
• if legislation changes;
• if the working area/storage area is altered such as with the addition of/or a removal of a wall;
• after an incident/accident or fire.
• Initially, awareness of - and then training in - the use of the means of escape.
• The evacuation routes should be clearly indicated and the routes, refuges, and exits should be kept clear of obstacles and combustible materials.
• Emergency lighting should be checked for effectiveness on a scheduled basis.
• Evacuation tests should be carried out periodically, to asses the time taken and determine the cause of any problems, and to familiarise the occupants with the means of evacuation.
• Any signs must be checked and replaced if necessary.
• Regular audits of the premises should include the routes of evacuation.
7.22 Means of escape for disabled persons A significant source of research and information is the British Standards (BS) BS 5588 Fire Precautions in the design and construction of buildings
Part 8: Code of practice for means of escape for disabled people
The introduction of this document states that "management systems are an essential part of means of escape for disabled people.
"It is envisaged that those responsible for the management of existing buildings would adopt the principles underlying this standard and its recommendations as part of their routine administrative procedures"
Dependent upon the needs of the disabled person or type and severity of the disability, various methods can be used to assist the means of escape.
With evacuation lifts, the general rules are that the lift should be located in a well- protected enclosure. It should have a switch enabling a supervisor to override the landing
call buttons and take the lift to floors from which disabled people need to be evacuated.
Guidance on safeguarding evacuation lifts is given in BS5588: Part 8
This suggests that there are two types of lift that can be used for escape:
"Unlike a normal passenger lift, it is essential that any evacuation lift can continue to operate safely when there is a fire in the building. Although it is not necessary to provide a lift for the escape of disabled people, a fire fighting lift (which is provided principally for the use of the fire service in fighting fires ) may be used for the evacuation of disabled people prior to the arrival of the fire service, who will then assume responsibility of any remaining persons."
The document says that if you have an evacuation lift, then it should always be used.
In order to facilitate this:
• Liaison with the fire service is necessary.
• Operation of the lift should be controlled by management of the building.
• In work places, staff should be trained.
• The lift car should only be taken to appropriate levels.
• Only disabled people should use it.
• Senior staff should be designated to assist in the process.
• Anyone planning to use a fire fighting lift for evacuation purposes should inform their local fire service.
7.23 Refuge (taken from BS5588) A refugee is defined as an area that is enclosed with fire-resisting construction (other than any part which is an external wall of a building) and served directly by a safe route to a storey exit, evacuation lift or final exit, thus constituting a temporary safe space for disabled people to await assistance for their evacuation.
There is a note with this clause which states:
"Refuges are relatively safe waiting areas for short periods. They are not areas where disabled people should be left indefinitely until rescued by the fire brigade, or until the fire is extinguished. (This should not be confused with the use of refuges in the progressive horizontal evacuation, e.g. in hospitals)"
Clauses 13 -16 of the BS give advice to management as to how to provide suitable assistance.
• Evacuation procedures should be pre-planned.
• Staff training and knowledge of the implementation are vital.
• Agreed procedures should be confirmed in writing.
• These should be practiced once or twice a year.
• A practice fire drill, including disabled people, should be carried out at least once a
year (the fire brigade should be informed of this).
It suggests that extra training should be given to staff in buildings where the public is present.
In buildings where an overnight stay is intended, people requiring assisted escape should be encouraged to make themselves known to management during check-in procedures.
In assembly buildings, it is considered the number of disabled people requiring assistance will be small. However, where a large group of disabled people is present, then the organizers should discuss the emergency evacuation arrangements with the management.
Evacuation procedure for disabled people should start the minute the alarm is raised, even in two-stage evacuations.
In phase 1, they can be moved to a refuge. However, the document states that should a full escape be necessary, they should be assisted to a place of safety.
A refuge can also be used for disabled people to rest whilst making their escape, and whilst waiting for help to move from the refuge to the final exit point.
In certain buildings, during a small incident, it could be possible to utilize the passive fire- resisting elements of the building, which might allow disabled persons to move horizontally to the next fire compartment. It may then be possible to wait with a nominated person and thereafter return to the area from which the person started out after the emergency has ended.
For persons who are either (or both) visually or hearing impaired, special considerations will be required in the way the evacuations are made known and evacuation routes are marked.
Hearing impaired persons can be notified of the need for evacuation by a specific flashing light or strobe activated at the same time as an evacuation bell or klaxon etc. In a previous section, we covered ‘safe condition signage’ and the requirement for graphic representation; this is put to good effect in routes for the hearing impaired to follow.
Visually impaired persons would be notified by an alarm siren. This can also be supplemented by a system utilizing an automated voice to broadcast information and commands. The use of tactile signs using the Braille language should be incorporated along evacuation routes to guide the person to points of safety.
For those persons who are both visually and hearing impaired, a simple solution is the use of the ‘buddy system’ in which an able person is assigned to guide the disabled person via the evacuation routes to points of safety. The buddy system can also be used to assist the evacuation of persons mentioned in the two preceding paragraphs.
To decide upon the most appropriate system to assist in the evacuation of a disabled person, it may be an advantage to engage the person at the planning stage. One way of doing this is the use of a specific questionnaire; such a questionnaire as used by the University of
St. Andrews can be down loaded as a sample from here
8.0 Outline of requirements of the relevant legislation All offices, shops, railway premises, hotels, and factories are subject to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
This order requires that the responsible person for the premises produce a fire risk assessment (this replaces the need for the fire certificate previously issued by the local Fire Brigade).
The fire risk assessment should be reviewed in the same circumstances as a risk assessment would be,
• at least annually;
• if personnel change;
• if new equipment/chemicals/substances are used on-site or existing substances are substituted;
• if legislation changes;
• if the working area/storage area is altered such as with the addition of/or a removal of a wall;
• after an incident/accident or fire.
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