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FIRE SERVICE AND GENERAL FIRE SAFETY TOPICS => Fire Safety => Topic started by: alfi on March 12, 2008, 12:35:12 PM
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in a 6 storey office complex building that is low risk and office based with L1 AFD, would one evacuation chair per floor area be enough, the property have two protected exits but I've suggested just one assembly area for less able that is deisnated a refuge area and is proteced by FD and then leads straight onto the protected staircase, Currently no tenants have less able staff but they will need to account for changes and visitors etc.
comments appreciated
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Cross that bridge when needs arise is my view, perform PEEPS with the person(s) who may need the evac equipment.
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Yes, one chair per floor should be ok in principle, I presume you have lifts that can give access for wheelchair users to the upper floors and the evac chairs are part of the strategy to get most of them out safely.
Think about the number of refuges and their location, refuges dont have to be in the stairs, a floor divided by a fire resisting wall each half with a staircase can be counted as having two refuges. Think about where the chair is sited- is it always accessible-if only one per floor can the fire warden for the floor take it to the location where it is needed, and who will be trained to use the chair and who will take the users own wheelchair downstairs for transfer back at the bottom of the stairs.
Remember that evac chairs are only one piece in the "special needs" jigsaw. And if theres no way for wheelchair users to access an upper floor then theres no need for evac chairs but still a need for refuges for people with other types of disablement.
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thanks chaps
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Don't forget you can not just slap a sign up to say REFUGE. It needs to be a specific place and have a method of communication in accordance with BS 5588 part 8 and BS 5839 Part 9.