what’s the best way out?

WHAT’S THE BEST WAY OUT?

Mike Larabel

Chief of Fire Protection

Amway Inc.

AGENDA

DEFINITIONS – GLOSSARY HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE WHERE ARE WE AT NOW WHAT IS THE BEST WAY OUT?

DEFINITIONS

EMERGENCY LIFE SAFETY CODE 101 MEANS OF EGRESS

EXIT ACCESS EXIT EXIT DISCHARGE

EGRESS COMPONENTS

What is an emergency?

An “emergency” is an event that jeopardizes The occupants of a building The building The contents of the building

Types of emergencies Natural Human based

Life Safety Code - 101

National Fire Protection Association – NFPA 1913 – Committee on Safety to Life 1927 – Building Exits Code 1966 – Code for Safety from Fire in Buildings

and Structures 1981 – Organization of modern Code. Current edition consists of 43 Chapters plus

Annexes – explanatory material

Means of Egress

Exit Access – “That portion of a means of egress that leads to an exit.” (101)

Exit – “That portion of a means of egress that is separated from all other spaces of a building or structure by construction or equipment as required to provide a protected way of travel to the exit discharge.” (101)

Exit Discharge – “That portion of a means of egress between the termination of an exit and a public way.” (101)

Egress Components

Doors Swinging Non-swinging – revolving, rolling, sliding

Floors Level Sloped

Locking mechanisms Turnstiles Force to Open Stairs

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

Iroquois Theatre – Chicago, IL 12/30/1903 – 602 – Deadliest bldg. fire Fire Proof – Mr. Blue Beard, Jr. Outward door swing in Assembly

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory – NY, NY 3/25/1911 – 146 Workers (mostly women) Improved factory safety standards Int. Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

Cocoanut Grove – Boston, MA 11/28/1942 – 492 Remote egress, Interior Finish

Winecoff Hotel – Atlanta, GA 12/7/1946 – 119 Stairway enclosure

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

Barnum & Bailey Circus – Hartford, CT 7/6/1944 – 168 Lives Lost Flame retardant tents

MGM Grand Hotel Fire – Las Vegas, NV November 21, 1980 – 85 Lives Lost Strengthened fire safety laws for sprinklers

and interior finish

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

Hamlet Chicken Processing Plant – Hamlet, NC 9/3/1991 – 25 killed, 54 injured (Locked doors) Improved worker safety laws

Station Nightclub Fire - West Warwick, NJ 2/19/2003 – 100 deaths TIA’s – Improved requirements for sprinklers

Station Nightclub Fire

http://www.boonex.us/video/gallery/Great-White-The-Station-nightclub-fire-West-Warwick-Rhode-Island-/

Getting OUT!!

Provide employee alarm system Creatures of Habit – The Herd Effect

Train evacuation assistants Review plan

Initially When employee responsibility changes When plan changes

Emergency Notification

What methods are What methods are used to alert used to alert

occupants of an occupants of an emergency?emergency?

Emergency Messages

What do the alarms mean? What actions are you expected to take? Who issues voice instructions?

Why should I believe the Why should I believe the alarm or emergency alarm or emergency

information message?information message?

Perception

What is the perception of the problem? Do employees perceive there truly is a

problem? Do we practice what we preach? Fire Wardens – arm band & helmet What do other employees think?

Occupant Protection Concepts

Evacuate Total Staged Relocation to safe

area within the building

Defend or protect in-place

Area of Refuge

A temporary staging area that provides relative safety to its occupants while Potential emergencies are assessed

Decisions are made

Mitigating activities are begun

A stage between egress from the A stage between egress from the immediately threatened area and immediately threatened area and the evacuation of the building .the evacuation of the building .

Defend/Protect In Place

up

down

E Edown

up

Principles of Exit Safety

At least two ways out Exits are within a reasonable travel distance Egress paths are

Well marked Well lighted Unobstructed

Evacuation training and drills provided

MEANS OF EGRESS

Occupied Building Open to the public Open for general occupancy 10 or more employees present

Door Swing Exterior Exit Doors swing outward – direction

of egress Room doors may swing inward – unless

occupant capacity of 50 or more

MEANS OF EGRESS

Locking mechanisms Key operated locks

Only certain occupancies Signs indicating door to remain unlocked Main entrance only

Single Motion – Non-locking against egress Knob, lever, panic hardware

Delayed egress Security controlled – Card Access

MEANS OF EGRESS

Self closing – automatic closing devices Hold Open - electromagnetic Coordinators Astragals

Powered Door Leaf Stairs

7 X 11 Change of direction Area of refuge Landings

MEANS OF EGRESS

Capacity of Means of Egress Based on Occupant Load, # of exits, etc. Capacity factor – Health Care 0.3, 0.6, All

others 0.2 Minimum width – 36 inches

Number of means of egress Generally 2 minimum – remote Single exit allowed in certain conditions

MEANS OF EGRESS

Arrangement “Readily accessible at all times” Access to two different paths of travel Room to corridor

Existing room to room to corridor/exit Dead ends

Not permitted – except by chapter – may be 20 to 50 feet in length

Not through kitchens, closets, storage, workroom, bedrooms, etc.

MEANS OF EGRESS

Arrangement – con’t. Cannot obscure exit – curtains, hangings, art,

mirrors, etc. Measurement of travel distance

Based on occupancy requirement Measured along path of travel AGPH –

75’/125’ to guest room door 100’/200’ guest room to exit 100’/150’ exit enclosure to exterior door to public

way

MEANS OF EGRESS

Industrial - General 200 feet unsprinkled 250 feet sprinkled

Termination of exits Public way Exit discharge that leads to public way

Illumination of means of egress Illuminate access, exit, discharge

Stairs 10 ft. candle Other 1 ft. candle Performances 0.2 ft. candle

MEANS OF EGRESS

Emergency Lighting Minimum of 1 ½ hours 1 ft. candle Automatic in the event of power loss Emergency generator or battery pack Testing on a regular basis

Every 30 days Annually – 1 ½ hours Maintain records

MEANS OF EGRESS

Exit signs required unless “obviously and clearly are identifiable as an exit.” Exit signs must be illuminated

Internally or externally Tactile signage required in new construction

Floor proximity egress path marking Along exit access – 100 feet Change in direction Photoluminescent/nuclear powered signs

permitted

MEANS OF EGRESS

NO Exit Doors that do not lead to exit or exit access

must be labeled Exit Sign Testing

How long will it take?

Complete evacuation may require a significant amount of time

Evacuation from large buildings can be physically exhausting

It could slow emergency responders who may need the stairs to reach the problem

Reporting an Emergency

Time is critical Report emergencies

rapidly Know the procedures for

your building Use the best available

means of communication

Your Responsibility

Keep the exits clear No storage or other use within the exit Do not compromise fire protection and

alarm systems Promptly report problems with exits or

systems to building management

Protecting Yourself

Do you know how to react if you are faced with an emergency?

Could you protect yourself and others around you in an extraordinary event?

Self reliance – 72 Hr. response time

When all else fails, you are When all else fails, you are ultimately responsible for your ultimately responsible for your

own safety!own safety!

Protecting Yourself

1,602,000 fires – 3,675 civilian deaths – 3,105 deaths in structures, majority in residential structures.

Fire drills in our homes We tell ‘em good, but we don’t show them

well. Holler at each other

Conditioned to the same route