14.1 General

a) Fire Precautions Package:

● Should align with building use, occupants, processes, materials, and fire safety management.

● Classified by risk profiles to assess risk and determine fire precautions.

b) Determining Risk Profile:

● Follow Clause 6.

c) Means of Escape:

● General principles for acceptable means of escape are outlined in sections 14.2 and 14.3.

● Must consider specific needs of the building.

d) Design Process:

● Refer to Figure 5 for the basic process.

● Ensure escape route floorings, including steps, ramps, and landings, have appropriate slip resistance.

Figure 5 Designing means of escape

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a) Crèche Location and Design:

● Should be near escape routes used by parents or guardians.

● Should be at ground level or the level of final exits.

● Should not be located above the parents' floor unless necessary for escape.

● Should not be in a basement unless the exit is at the same level.

● Preferably adjacent to an external wall with at least two exits, including one final exit.

b) Reverse Flow Situations:

● Consideration needed for fire-fighters entering the building during evacuation.

● In buildings over 30m, phased evacuation may require special management procedures.

● Buildings over 45m may need physical measures like additional stairways.

c) Mezzanine Safety:

● Fire risk from combustible products stored under mezzanines with solid floors.

● Additional safeguards may be needed to protect occupants, especially the public.

d) Evacuation of Disabled People:

● Conduct specific assessments to accommodate disabled individuals, especially if travel distance exceeds 50m.

● Potential additional measures:

Extend video camera coverage to refuges.

● Install communication facilities in refuges for two-way communication.

● Provide resting opportunities for disabled people.

● Install handrails along extended corridors for resting and guidance.

● Use additional signs and tactile devices for the visually impaired.

● Provide early evacuation warnings for disabled individuals.

e) Clear Escape Routes:

● Ensure no obstacles like steps, stairs, or inappropriate doors hinder escape.

14.2 Acceptable means of escape

One or more of the following means of escape should be adopted:

NOTE 1 Some of these elements of means of escape might not be appropriate for use by people with some disabilities and therefore alternative arrangements need to be made.

a) Final Exit:

● A door leading directly to the outside air.

b) Storey Exit:

● A door leading to a protected stairway.

c) Progressive Horizontal Evacuation:

● Doors leading to another fire compartment.

d) Accommodation Stairs:

● Open staircases where travel distance includes the length of the stair.

e) Protected Stairway:

● A stairway enclosed for protection from fire.

f) Ramps:

● Must conform to BS 8300 and have a gradient no steeper than 1:12.

g) Moving Walks:

● Can be used as part of the travel distance if designed to slow to a stop.

h) Evacuation Lift:

● Specially designed and installed for safe evacuation.

i) Wicket Doors and Gates:

● Conditions include:

1. Not used by the public.

2. Used by no more than 10 persons in an emergency.

3. Opening at least 500 mm wide, with specified height and floor level clearance.

i) Fail-Safe Turnstiles, Revolving Doors, and Automatic Doors:

● Must comply with BS EN 16005 and BS 7036-0.

● Either fail-safe to open or have adjacent outward-opening hinged doors.

NOTE 2 Attention is drawn to the Building Regulations 2010, Approved Document K [35] and Approved Document M [36]; to the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004 [4]; and to the Building Regulations (Northern

Ireland) 2012 [5], in respect of the design of ramps and associated landings, and in respect of aisles and gangways, from the aspect of safety in use.

NOTE 3 Category d monitoring is not required.

NOTE 4 These restrictions are imposed because revolving doors, automatic doors and turnstiles can obstruct the passage of persons escaping.

All stairs should be in accordance with BS 5395-1.

14.3 Generally unacceptable means of escape

a) Lifts:

● Generally, not suitable, except for evacuation lifts designed for those with difficulty using other routes.

b) Fixed Ladders:

● Acceptable only in rarely used plant rooms accommodating fewer than ten people, conforming to BS EN ISO 14122-4.

c) Portable Ladders and Throw-Out Ladders:

● Not recommended for escape purposes.

d) Manipulative Apparatus:

● Includes fold-down ladders; not recommended for escape.

e) Sliding Doors:

● Only acceptable if designed to fail open on power loss or can be broken open throughout their range, according to BS 7273-4.

f) Security Grilles and Shutters:

● Not suitable unless they can be easily and quickly opened, with power-operated versions needing a fail-safe system or manual override.

g) Wicket Doors and Gates:

● Not recommended for exits from high-risk areas.

h) Escalators:

● Should not be used as a means of escape and treated as accommodation stairs, with management ensuring they are not used during an incident.

NOTE In certain situations, such as transport interchanges, escalators may be used as part of the means of escape solution. In these cases, a fully fire engineered assessment will be needed, which would include an ASET/RSET analysis as explained in BS 7974.

14 Designing means of escape