High Rise Structures.fire Safety.

Fire Safety In High Rise Structures

Metropolitan Fire & Emergency Services Board Community Safety Directorate

Guideline No: GL- 18

GUIDELINE Evacuation of High Rise Buildings

First Issued : 24 June 2003

1.

Version No: 4 14 October 2007

Reviewed: 4 October 2007

Page 1 of 7

Purpose

This document has been developed to provide consistency when considering an evacuation strategy from a high rise building. Evacuation from facilities may be necessary in the event of fire, hazardous material incidents, arson, structural damage, or equipment failure. The objective of this guideline is for fire emergencies only, however, it may also be suitable for use in other emergencies. These procedures have been developed for use in all high rise buildings predominantly over 25 metres in effective height, as defined in the Building Code of Australia (BCA). However, may give guidance for buildings below this height where due consideration is given to the building’s characteristics. Fire and life safety systems such as the fire alarm and/or occupant warning systems need to be designed to satisfy the intended evacuation strategy. Further, to avoid confusion, delay and possible injury, it is essential that a building’s evacuation plans and procedures be understood and practised regularly by the building occupants prior to an emergency. The purpose of this guideline is to assist with the formulation of procedures for a suitable method of evacuation to enable occupants in high rise buildings to avoid possible injury through the provision of: ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ

2.

Emergency Management plans in accordance with AS3745; Early detection and warning of emergency incident; A safe and orderly evacuation strategy (Horizontal, Phased or full building evacuation); or A protect in place strategy; & Early Fire Brigade Intervention

Background

What is an Emergency? Under the Emergency Management Act 1986 No. 30 (section 4), an “emergency” is defined as the actual or imminent occurrence of an event which in any way endangers or threatens to endanger the safety or health of any person, property, the environment or an element of the environment in Victoria including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing an earthquake, flood, wind-storm, fire, an explosion or other natural event; amongst others.

THIS DOCUMENT IS UNCONTROLLED WHEN PRINTED MFESB COMMUNITY SAFETY DIRECTORATE J:\GROUPS\COMMSAFE\R & P\POLDOC\GUIDELINES\APPROVED GUIDELINES\GL-18 v4 r04.10.07.doc

1

COMMUNITY SAFETY DIRECTORATE GUIDELINE

Prepared By: MFESB Community Safety Advisory Group Authorised By: Exe. Mgr Jarrod Edwards

3.

Considerations for All High Rise Buildings

Development of ‘Building Specific’ Emergency Management Plans in accordance with AS3745. The training of key staff to fulfil roles identified in AS3745. 3.1

Type of evacuation sequence, i.e. phased/controlled or full evacuation – The evacuation strategy can be broken up into sequences. Phased evacuation involves the removal of occupants from the floor of fire origin as well as 2 floors above and 1 below. A full evacuation necessitates the removal of all occupants from the building simultaneously/concurrently. An option that exists within tall buildings is to allow the occupants of the first few floors to evacuate, as it is likely that they will do so before the fire brigade arrives on scene. If a horizontal evacuation route or a safe refuge is available, then partial/phased evacuation strategy to these areas may also be considered.

3.2

Protect in place - Protecting occupants in place is more suited for residential high rise sprinklered buildings, as sole occupancy units are generally constructed of fire and smoke resistant materials. Occupiers of the sole occupancy being the area of fire origin and others in close proximity are instructed to evacuate, whilst occupants in other parts of the floor, as determined by the evacuation plan are to remain in their rooms and initiate a strategy of selfprotection against fire hazard until it is safe to evacuate, be rescued or the emergency no longer exists. The effectiveness of this strategy will depend on the type of emergency, installed fire safety systems and occupant adherence to procedures and instructions.

3.3

Evacuation of Office Buildings – Evacuating occupants from office buildings is relatively straightforward. These types of buildings contain occupants that are generally familiar with the layout of the building arising from their induction program and daily duties. As office buildings are not expected to contain occupants that are sleeping, the combination of a structured warden system and vigilant occupier ensures the response and evacuation response time are much more efficient when comparing them to residential buildings. In sprinklered buildings where an open plan office exists, consideration may be given to evacuate the fire floor, floor above and below and employ the “protect in place” strategy for the other floors in the building.

3.4

Evacuation of Residential Buildings – The evacuation of residential buildings is more complex compared to office buildings. Residential buildings have different occupant issues to consider. These include occupants that may be very young, old, mentally or physically impaired and possibly sleeping. Other possibilities may include pets and other livestock present. Consideration must also be given for non-English speaking persons. Therefore these types of buildings with installed sprinklers, may be more suited to phased or protect in place evacuation strategies.

3.5

Evacuation of Health Care Buildings – Health Care facilities are the most complex and need to have a coordinated approach to evacuation as the occupants can have variable characteristics. Health Care facilities have a transient population, with many visitors, public and temporary staff. In addition, they also have occupants that are disabled, sleeping, medicated, and non-ambulatory with some in surgery. Therefore, all staff must be trained to assist all patrons during an evacuation of these premises.

3.6

Assembly Areas – The identification of primary and secondary assembly areas.

THIS DOCUMENT IS UNCONTROLLED WHEN PRINTED MFESB COMMUNITY SAFETY DIRECTORATE J:\GROUPS\COMMSAFE\R & P\POLDOC\GUIDELINES\APPROVED GUIDELINES\GL-18 v4 r04.10.07.doc

2

4.

Systems to Enhance Fire Safety

The following systems are likely to enhance the levels of life and fire safety within a building. 4.1 Stair Pressurisation – The purpose of stair pressurisation is to limit smoke migration into the main egress route. By adopting a phased evacuation strategy, the stair pressurisation system is less likely to be compromised as the limited number of occupants entering the stairs should ensure that it performs as designed with the required number of doors open. 4.2 Lobby Pressurisation – The advantage of having lobby pressurisation is that it provides a relatively safe area of refuge for occupants on the floor of fire origin. When considering the use of stairs or use of lifts for evacuation, lobby pressurisation is an advantage where it is designed, installed and maintained accordingly. 4.3 Lobby Extraction- Depending on the building characteristics and system configuration proposed, lobby extraction or smoke spill systems may be considered within the design of a safe refuge. 4.4 Sprinkler System – In buildings greater than 25 metres in effective height, the BCA requires a sprinkler system to be installed appropriate to the relevant standard. There are many advantages to having a sprinkler system installed; where a sprinkler system is omitted, the likelihood of smoke and fire spread is greater. Main egress routes may experience smoke contamination at an earlier time and evacuation may not be possible, depending on the time of notification and occupant response. Where a sprinkler system is not installed, occupants must understand that the risk to life could be higher. If evacuation does not occur in the initial stages of a fire, then the fire may escalate to a point where evacuation may not be possible. 4.5 Alarm Sequence – The designed alarm sequence in high rise commercial and residential buildings is crucial. This sequence of alarm notification determines the method of evacuation adopted. For example, in a phased evacuation, the alarm sounds the floor of fire origin, one/two floors above, and one/two floors below. However, in a full building evacuation, the evacuation alarm may sound the entire building regardless of fire location. This alarm may be connected to the fire brigade through an approved monitoring agency, depending on the type of occupancy. The earlier the fire brigade can attend the fire scene, the quicker the situation is under control. If the building has fully trained wardens, control should be achieved relatively quickly after alarm initiation. The alarm system should also consider persons with language problems (non-English speaking persons), and people with visual and hearing impairments. The alarm should incorporate both fire detection and occupant warning and be designed to suit the environment and ensure false alarms are minimised. 4.6 Signage – It is important that the signage within stairs, hallways and other building elements is simple to understand. This is due to the fact that occupants could be from non-English speaking families or they may have a disability and therefore necessitates the installation of illustrative and written type instructions. It is important to note that within smoke filled enclosures, a visual aide may not be as effective.

THIS DOCUMENT IS UNCONTROLLED WHEN PRINTED MFESB COMMUNITY SAFETY DIRECTORATE J:\GROUPS\COMMSAFE\R & P\POLDOC\GUIDELINES\APPROVED GUIDELINES\GL-18 v4 r04.10.07.doc

3

4.7 Public Address System & Occupant Intercommunication – Previous studies have shown that occupants who do not have clear instructions will automatically leave the building through the same route they entered. Therefore, the public address system, ie. intercommunication, PA system, occupant/emergency warning system, etc, should function in accordance with the intended evacuation strategy. This in effect relies on an alarm system, but also on the occupants that are provided with the information during an incident. An appropriate system should be designed to ensure reliability and function to the particular building requirements. Further, intercommunication where a warden type system exists is an advantage to ensure clear direction is given to occupants from those trained to do so. 4.8 Emergency Power – A full emergency power supply should be available to the lifts and essential services systems such as emergency lighting and an occupant warning system to assist with building evacuation. Where lifts are incorporated into an evacuation strategy an appropriate emergency power supply should be provided in accordance with MFB Guideline GL-07. 4.9 Refuge Options – All buildings that intend to use the phased evacuation strategy should have protected refuge areas. These should be compartments of fire and smoke resistive construction, stairways large enough to accommodate wheelchair access without obstructing people, means of communication with building occupant warning system and fire brigade communications. In “super tall” high rise buildings, these refuge areas could consist of an entire floor for every 20-50 levels. 4.10 Adequate Exits – In high rise developments it is expected there will be a large amount of occupants; therefore, a sufficient number of exits must be available to accommodate this. Reliable means of re-entry should be made available under normal and emergency conditions. Discharge of exit stairs may be to outside or into a tenable area of the building. Where lifts are to be used for evacuation, the MFB Guideline GL-07 (Single fire stairs and lifts in high-rise buildings) should be considered. 4.11 Smoke Control Issues – Buildings over the height of 25 metres in effective height, regardless of the intended use, must consider smoke control issues and smoke hazard management. Smoke can be controlled in many ways, and it is essential that the exit routes and safe refuge areas are smoke free, to enable occupants to evacuate without hindrance that may cause delay or possible injury. 4.12 Maintenance of Systems in Buildings – Adequate maintenance of all matters listed under essential services of the Building Act (1993) and the Building Regulations (1994) in accordance with the relevant Australian Standards. Also, items deemed necessary for the function and control of the life safety systems but not listed within Part 11 of the Building Regulations, such as the training and evacuation procedures of occupants, should be included. Ongoing maintenance to be ensured for the life of the building, and enforced via the building’s Occupancy Permit (OP). 4.13 Compartmentation – Consideration should be made to incorporate door smoke/fire seals and automatic closers to all doors opening into lobby or main evacuation route to stairs. Sufficient fire resistive construction to compartments where deemed necessary. 4.14 House Keeping - Maintain relatively sterile main evacuation routes, lobbies, corridors, stairs and safe refuge areas. Separation of combustible fuel loads from ignition sources where practical.

THIS DOCUMENT IS UNCONTROLLED WHEN PRINTED MFESB COMMUNITY SAFETY DIRECTORATE J:\GROUPS\COMMSAFE\R & P\POLDOC\GUIDELINES\APPROVED GUIDELINES\GL-18 v4 r04.10.07.doc

4

5.

Evacuation Procedures and Awareness

The following considerations should be given to evacuation procedures and awareness in a fire emergency. 5.1

Fire Safety Training – It is important that all occupants understand the building safety systems and are trained appropriately for emergencies. For commercial buildings this may include induction programs and update training and communication to occupants. Where training may not be practical in residential type buildings then signage, brochures, information videos all with a simple effective strategy for evacuation should be adopted.

5.2

Priority of Safety – In the event of an emergency, a building that utilises a phased evacuation strategy should also consider the sequence of evacuation. Occupants may initially be asked to evacuate horizontally into another fire safe compartment. If this is not available, they may proceed to an enclosed stairway to evacuate the building vertically or to another safe refuge area.

5.3

Full Building Evacuation – A full building evacuation will take time relative to the number of occupants, height of the building; especially high rise and the number of exits available. Therefore a building with a relatively small floor space and that is less than 25 metres in effective height, a full building evacuation strategy should be considered.

5.4

Authority – It is important to establish a person to be Chief Warden, who is trained appropriately with an AS 2220 EWIS warden structure in commercial buildings. This person can make an educated judgement on whether or not occupants may evacuate the building, until the fire brigade arrives on scene. In residential buildings this may not be practical; therefore occupants may need to rely on fire brigade personnel to give clear instructions. Before fire brigade arrival, an automatic warning system should provide occupants with suitable instructions. For further assistance refer AS 3745 Warden Structure.

5.5

Documentation - Information relative to fire safety systems in the building are communicated back to the occupants and fire brigade, using suitable signage, such as tactical fire plans and evacuation plans. Education and ongoing training of all occupants and users of the building should be conducted on a regular basis.

6.

Fire Service Requirements

The following represent some fundamental fire service requirements to assist with decision made by fire service personnel in an evacuation strategy with consideration of their standard operational procedures. 6.1

Fire Safety Installations – Access around the building, water supply reliability and availability, building fire safety systems, i.e. fire resistance levels, smoke control for visibility and tenability, etc. The fire service personnel should also be considered as building occupants to ensure Fire Brigade intervention, including search and rescue to be facilitated within the building design.

THIS DOCUMENT IS UNCONTROLLED WHEN PRINTED MFESB COMMUNITY SAFETY DIRECTORATE J:\GROUPS\COMMSAFE\R & P\POLDOC\GUIDELINES\APPROVED GUIDELINES\GL-18 v4 r04.10.07.doc

5

6.2

Fire Brigade Intervention – When the Fire Service arrives on scene, the Officer in Charge (OIC) may give instructions to occupants. For example, if the building has two stairs, the OIC may instruct occupants to evacuate using stair ‘A’, so firefighters can perform their duties using stair ‘B’. An appropriate system of reliable communications should be available for announcement of instructions to building occupants and Fire Service personnel. In addition clear identification of all stairs.

6.3

Fire Service Communications - Communication within concrete buildings in the past have cause concerns with fire service radios due to lack of transmission and interference. Therefore in high rise structures, a reliable means of intercommunication is provided where the building communication system does not provide this function, such as emergency telephone and/or fire service telephones. Consideration may also be given to the installation of infrastructure to support the emergency services digital radio network.

6.4

Fire Service Turnout Details – In order to determine the evacuation strategy, a key consideration is the fire service turnout details. These can be used to conduct a Fire Brigade Intervention Model to predict when the fire service is estimated to arrive on site to assist with evacuation, search and rescue and deal with the fire situation by application of a suitable suppression medium.

6.5

Entry into the Building – Where an Emergency Lift is provided it shall be in accordance with AS 1735.2 and lift key are to be available to the Fire Service. Any security access in the building, including re-entry provisions into stairs should be provided for the fire service.

6.6

Dangerous Goods Issues – High rise commercial and residential buildings are expected to have low dangerous goods issues; where this is not the case, then advice should be sought from the Dangerous Goods Department of the MFB.

7.

Protect in Place Strategy

The ‘protect in place’ strategy is dependent on the time of alarm and notification to occupants for example, a preferred evacuation strategy may be as follows. 7.1

If occupants receive early and reliable notification a tactic might be able to fully evacuate the entire building.

7.2

If occupants receive a late alarm, or no alarm, they might be safer to remain in place and initiate self-protection strategies against fire hazards.

7.3

If the fire is at remote sections of the building, the sections unaffected may be safer to remain in place until further instructions.

7.4

If evacuation and main egress routes are smoke filled then occupants must return to a relatively safe fire and smoke separated area to await further instructions.

7.5

When safe to do so, or as instructed by attending fire service personnel, evacuation of the building may still occur.

THIS DOCUMENT IS UNCONTROLLED WHEN PRINTED MFESB COMMUNITY SAFETY DIRECTORATE J:\GROUPS\COMMSAFE\R & P\POLDOC\GUIDELINES\APPROVED GUIDELINES\GL-18 v4 r04.10.07.doc

6

8.

Conclusion

As all performance based buildings are no longer typical standard designs. Consideration must be given by Designers to ensure all recommendations and installations are specific to the type of building and occupant characteristics. All building users may play a part by self-education and determining specific safety systems available in their building and what the safety procedures are for evacuation. Therefore safety system information should be passed on to communicate with all building users, managers and local fire service personnel.

Further Reference AS3745 AS4083 AS1428.1

Emergency control organisations and procedures for buildings Planning for emergencies-health care facilities General requirements for access (persons with disabilities)

It should be noted that a supporting decision made for one building does not automatically infer that the same decision will be made for another. Each building shall be reviewed on its own merits, with all justification documented. Note: This is a controlled document and may only be modified by authorised personnel after review by the MFESB Community Safety Advisory Group

THIS DOCUMENT IS UNCONTROLLED WHEN PRINTED MFESB COMMUNITY SAFETY DIRECTORATE J:\GROUPS\COMMSAFE\R & P\POLDOC\GUIDELINES\APPROVED GUIDELINES\GL-18 v4 r04.10.07.doc

7