vending machines

[jasper]

Hi fellas I was wondering what your views are on the location of vending machines on escape routes, I know they are generally a nono but this one is within a leisure center and the ground floor machines are within an area with the first floor being a balcony with an open staircase with alternative escape routes within travel distance - just wondered if you guys think it is acceptable?

[kurnal]

Provided there are alternative escape routes I would not be too concerned. Many leisure centres have multi function foyers including reception, refreshments, cafes, shoe hire  etc.
Do you need it to be a designated protected route in any case? Very often you can treat the main reception and stairway as an accommodation stair anyway because there are often ample escape routes without the main entrance, always recognising that in an emergency it will be most peoples first choice for escape.

[jasper]

thnx for the reply Kurnal; I personally would treat it as an accommodation stairway as there are well signed alternatives (but as you say the most probably route would be down the open stair due to human behaviour in fire) but it just doesn't look right, also the vending machines are encased in wood which also concerns me

[jokar]

More than one escape route, fires don't often start in 2 places at once and as Kurnal has stated above, could it be an accommodation stairs.  The other issue is about the width of the route, does it obstruct the walkway, can it be moved in a panic situation?

[slubberdegullion]

I think kurnal's summed it up pretty well but you make a relevant point, jasper, about human behaviour.  

It is highly probable that some occupants of the male changing room are affiliated with occupants of the female changing room and they may try to meet up before evacuating.  This may or may not be significant if the fire happens to be in the vending machine in question.

It's probably just something that should be considered when deciding upon the evacuation strategy.  Things like this are often difficult to fully assess when formulating such strategies and I would always suggest a real fire drill to test proposed strategies.  The fire drill should be targeted to address this issue.

Stu