Emergency lighting units should be sited to cover specific areas, such as intersections of corridors, at each exit door, near each staircase so that each flight of stairs receives direct light, close to a change in floor level and outside each final exit.
Also, close to fire-fighting equipment and fire alarm call points, by exit and safety signs that are required elsewhere subject to the risk assessment.
Two categories of emergency lighting systems are available :
7.17 Maintained and Non-maintained. In a maintained system, individual luminaries each incorporate a battery that is charged from the mains lighting supply. For example, when the mains power is fully restored following an interruption, the luminaries' emergency lighting batteries are fully recharged from the mains power supply.
In a non-maintained system, individual luminaries incorporate a power back-up supply independent of the mains supply.
The basic principles of an emergency escape lighting system are that escape routes are clearly identified, the illumination along escape routes is sufficient to allow safe movement towards the final exits and to ensure that fire alarm call points and fire-fighting equipment can be readily located.
Examples of lighting units or luminaries:
7.18 Emergency Signs Emergency signs are covered in ‘The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996’ (Statutory Instrument 1996 No. 341)
The following is a précis of the requirements:-
“The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 require employers to provide specific safety signs whenever there is a risk that has not been avoided or controlled by other means, e.g. by engineering controls and safe systems of work.
Where a safety sign would not help to reduce that risk, or where the risk is not significant, there is no need to provide a sign”.
There are specific requirements for the shape, color, and pattern of safety signs:-
Any sign must contain a symbol or pictogram and be of a specified color which clearly defines its meaning. Supplementary text may also be used to aid understanding but text-only signs are not permitted.
Where signs are used, employers must ensure that:
• signs are maintained and any defective or faded signs should be replaced;
• unfamiliar signs are explained to employees to ensure they understand the meaning and actions to be taken in connection with them.
7.19 Examples of emergency signs 7.19.1 Safe Condition signage.
The regulations state that all fire exit safety signs must contain a symbol e.g. the running man
7.19.2 Fire Equipment Signs (location of)
7.19.3 Fire Action Signs
7.20 Design for progressive horizontal evacuation The candidate should refer to the regulatory document to become familiar with the different requirements based on the type of building for which the route is to be designed. The BS 5588 series of codes are also a source of information for other specialized buildings not listed in The Building Regulations 2000 Fire Safety Approved Document B 2000 edition
The Building Regulations 2000 Fire Safety Approved Document B 2000 edition - Volume 1 - Dwellings
The Building Regulations 2000 Fire Safety Approved Document B 2000 edition - Volume 2 - Buildings other than Dwellings
The following sections are intended to provide the candidate with an overview of horizontal evacuation.
“The general principle to be followed when designing facilities for means of escape is that any person confronted by an outbreak of fire within a building can turn away from it and make a safe escape”.
Horizontal movements refers to the evacuation of persons from one floor or storey of the building; if applied to the ground floor of a building, this would probably result in the evacuation route going directly to the point of final exit, whereas on other floors including basement areas, the horizontal route would be to the vertical evacuation routes and/or a place of safe refuge.
The following section is an extract of the method used by a large hospital.
The evacuation method employed in the hospital is that of ‘Progressive Horizontal Evacuation’, the principal of which is to move the patients from an area affected by the fire, through a fire-resisting barrier to an adjoining area (refuge) on the same level. The refuge is designed to protect the occupants from the immediate dangers of fire and smoke while the fire is dealt with or decisions are made with regard to further evacuation if necessary.
In the first instance, patients should be moved from the room affected by fire in the most expedient way possible. This may involve moving the beds, transferring patients to wheelchairs or simply encouraging and assisting ambulant patients to leave.
Once the initial evacuation has taken place, the need for further movement can be assessed.
In most instances, there will be no need to progress the evacuation further; however, if the need arises the following points should be considered:
(1) Does the refuge have the necessary facilities for a prolonged situation?
(2) Do you have to pass an area of higher risk on the route?
(3) Does the refuge offer the opportunity for further evacuation if necessary?
The candidate should consider that horizontal evacuation is the initial part of the overall evacuation plan, and the intent purpose is to move occupants away from risk in an expeditious manner. It may result in further stages of evacuation, but not necessarily so.
Also, close to fire-fighting equipment and fire alarm call points, by exit and safety signs that are required elsewhere subject to the risk assessment.
Two categories of emergency lighting systems are available :
7.17 Maintained and Non-maintained. In a maintained system, individual luminaries each incorporate a battery that is charged from the mains lighting supply. For example, when the mains power is fully restored following an interruption, the luminaries' emergency lighting batteries are fully recharged from the mains power supply.
In a non-maintained system, individual luminaries incorporate a power back-up supply independent of the mains supply.
The basic principles of an emergency escape lighting system are that escape routes are clearly identified, the illumination along escape routes is sufficient to allow safe movement towards the final exits and to ensure that fire alarm call points and fire-fighting equipment can be readily located.
Examples of lighting units or luminaries:
7.18 Emergency Signs Emergency signs are covered in ‘The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996’ (Statutory Instrument 1996 No. 341)
The following is a précis of the requirements:-
“The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 require employers to provide specific safety signs whenever there is a risk that has not been avoided or controlled by other means, e.g. by engineering controls and safe systems of work.
Where a safety sign would not help to reduce that risk, or where the risk is not significant, there is no need to provide a sign”.
There are specific requirements for the shape, color, and pattern of safety signs:-
Any sign must contain a symbol or pictogram and be of a specified color which clearly defines its meaning. Supplementary text may also be used to aid understanding but text-only signs are not permitted.
Where signs are used, employers must ensure that:
• signs are maintained and any defective or faded signs should be replaced;
• unfamiliar signs are explained to employees to ensure they understand the meaning and actions to be taken in connection with them.
7.19 Examples of emergency signs 7.19.1 Safe Condition signage.
The regulations state that all fire exit safety signs must contain a symbol e.g. the running man
7.19.2 Fire Equipment Signs (location of)
7.19.3 Fire Action Signs
7.20 Design for progressive horizontal evacuation The candidate should refer to the regulatory document to become familiar with the different requirements based on the type of building for which the route is to be designed. The BS 5588 series of codes are also a source of information for other specialized buildings not listed in The Building Regulations 2000 Fire Safety Approved Document B 2000 edition
The Building Regulations 2000 Fire Safety Approved Document B 2000 edition - Volume 1 - Dwellings
The Building Regulations 2000 Fire Safety Approved Document B 2000 edition - Volume 2 - Buildings other than Dwellings
The following sections are intended to provide the candidate with an overview of horizontal evacuation.
“The general principle to be followed when designing facilities for means of escape is that any person confronted by an outbreak of fire within a building can turn away from it and make a safe escape”.
Horizontal movements refers to the evacuation of persons from one floor or storey of the building; if applied to the ground floor of a building, this would probably result in the evacuation route going directly to the point of final exit, whereas on other floors including basement areas, the horizontal route would be to the vertical evacuation routes and/or a place of safe refuge.
The following section is an extract of the method used by a large hospital.
The evacuation method employed in the hospital is that of ‘Progressive Horizontal Evacuation’, the principal of which is to move the patients from an area affected by the fire, through a fire-resisting barrier to an adjoining area (refuge) on the same level. The refuge is designed to protect the occupants from the immediate dangers of fire and smoke while the fire is dealt with or decisions are made with regard to further evacuation if necessary.
In the first instance, patients should be moved from the room affected by fire in the most expedient way possible. This may involve moving the beds, transferring patients to wheelchairs or simply encouraging and assisting ambulant patients to leave.
Once the initial evacuation has taken place, the need for further movement can be assessed.
In most instances, there will be no need to progress the evacuation further; however, if the need arises the following points should be considered:
(1) Does the refuge have the necessary facilities for a prolonged situation?
(2) Do you have to pass an area of higher risk on the route?
(3) Does the refuge offer the opportunity for further evacuation if necessary?
The candidate should consider that horizontal evacuation is the initial part of the overall evacuation plan, and the intent purpose is to move occupants away from risk in an expeditious manner. It may result in further stages of evacuation, but not necessarily so.
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