Roller shutter across a designated fire exit??

[Rocha]

I have recently visited a 5 storey building, with a basment car park level, which has two exits.  One exit leads back into the main stair and the other is via the entrance to the basement car park, which is installed with an automatic roller shutter.

The roller shutter does not have a wicket gate and its only power supply is via the mains.  The only other method of opening is by using the chain link which will roll the shutter up.

Therefore, if during a fire the mains power fails, the only method for the occupants of the car park is to open the roller shutter using the chain link.  Is this an acceptable means of operation for a designated fire exit from the basement car park???

Thanks,

Rocha

[Redone]

It's not a 'key'

[Rocha]

No the use of a key is not required.

[kurnal]

I would not consider roller shuter doors as exits except in very unusual situations such as a workplace of low risk where only a handful of able bodied staff may need to use it for escape. I wouldnt entertain it for areas where the occupant profile is variable.
 
Was it part of the original spec of the building or was it an add on?
How big is the basement and what is the worst case travel distance?
If an add on have ventilation issues been taken into account?

[ian gough]

I agree Kurnal - and a basement car park is certainly not low risk!

[Ken Taylor]

Are you saying that the building has only two exits and that one of them is via the roller-shutter - or that the basement car park has only two exits?

If the latter is the case (although I am unaware of the layout and travel distances), if the fire is in the car park, escape could be possible via the main stair and, if the fire is affecting the main stair, compartmentation should be such that there could be time to effect escape by manually raising the shutter (although not ideal).

[Rocha]

The building has adequate exits, but it is the basement car park which has only two exits, one of which is via the roller shutter.

If only the one exit back into the main stair was available a travel distance of approx 36 metres is appliacble, which to my mind is excessive.

The basment car park does have an extract system, which kicks in on activation of the fire alarm system.

However I do have concerns with members of staff and sometimes visitors using the chains for openeing the roller shutter.  Although it is without use of a key.

Alternatives may be the installation of a new roller shutter with a wicket gate, or the provision of a back up power supply and controls adjacent to the shutter to ensure the shutter can be opened during mains failure and easily.

[kurnal]

Rocha
There is no doubt that you are correct that the means of escape is currently inadequate.
The single direction travel distance is a maximum of 18m therefore two exits are required and chain operated roller shutters are not suitable for use as an exit.

Dont also overlook the fact that extract systems can only work if there is sufficient inlet air and if the shutter has been retro fitted this source of air via the access ramp may have been part of the original calcs.

[Ken Taylor]

Thanks for the further information, Rocha.

Kurnal has now beaten me to the response. I've always had either a 'wicket gate' in the shutter or an adjacent exit door in these situations - and, where ventilation is necessary, a vented shutter (at the design stage).

[nearlythere]

Doors on means of escape should be easily opened from the direction of escape. Fitting an easy open device would facilitate this, easy being the key word.
Would you consider a chain pulley system as an easy open device? Certainly not.