Understanding Emergency Egress: Safety Standards and Historical Perspectives

1. WHAT’S THE BEST WAY OUT? Mike Larabel Chief of Fire Protection Amway Inc.

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

3. DEFINITIONS • EMERGENCY • LIFE SAFETY CODE 101 • MEANS OF EGRESS • EXIT ACCESS • EXIT • EXIT DISCHARGE • EGRESS COMPONENTS

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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)

7. Egress Components • Doors • Swinging • Non-swinging – revolving, rolling, sliding • Floors • Level • Sloped • Locking mechanisms • Turnstiles • Force to Open • Stairs

8. 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

9. HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE • Cocoanut Grove – Boston, MA • 11/28/1942 – 492 • Remote egress, Interior Finish • Winecoff Hotel – Atlanta, GA • 12/7/1946 – 119 • Stairway enclosure

10. 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

11. HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

12. 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

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

14. 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

17. Emergency Notification What methods are used to alert occupants of an emergency?

18. Emergency Messages • What do the alarms mean? • What actions are you expected to take? • Who issues voice instructions? Why should I believe the alarm or emergency information message?

20. 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?

21. OccupantProtectionConcepts • Evacuate • Total • Staged • Relocation to safe area within the building • Defend or protect in-place

22. 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 immediately threatened area and the evacuation of the building .

23. Defend/Protect In Place

24. 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

25. 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

26. 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

27. 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

28. 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

29. 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.

30. 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

31. 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

32. 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

33. 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

34. MEANS OF EGRESS • NO Exit • Doors that do not lead to exit or exit access must be labeled • Exit Sign Testing

35. 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

36. Reporting an Emergency • Time is critical • Report emergencies rapidly • Know the procedures for your building • Use the best available means of communication

37. 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

38. 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 ultimately responsible for your own safety!

39. 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