![]() Travel distance is the term applied to the distance that occupants have to travel to a protected door and is measured along the actual route of escape from any point within a storey, including the distance across rooms. In certain circumstances, an escape route from a building may be by way of a flat roof or an access deck. External escape routes include external escape stairs, access decks and flat roofs. Occupants escape from fire using enclosed corridors and stairs inside the building to reach a final exit door from the building, which leads to a place of safety.Įxternal escape routes are wholly or partially open to the external air therefore the risk of smoke logging is reduced compared with enclosed escape routes inside the building. ![]() Internal escape is perhaps the most common method of escape from buildings. Whilst direct escape to a place of safety is preferable, this is not always possible or convenient, for example, in hospitals or multi-storey buildings with many floors high above the ground. There may be up to four stages in the process of escape:ĭirect escape means that occupants can escape from a building directly to a place of safety by way of a final exit door without using an internal or external escape route. This will allow the occupants to turn away from the fire and make their escape in the other direction. In certain circumstances, for example, where the travel distance is excessive, a second means of escape should be provided. This should allow for them to escape from the building before being affected by fire or smoke. The risk to occupants is greater if they are asleep during the outbreak of fire as their ability to detect a fire and to escape will be greatly impaired.Įveryone within a building should be provided with at least one means of escape from fire that offers a safe passage to a place of safety outside the building. Occupants in buildings do not normally perceive themselves to be at risk from fire and are not fully aware of the speed that fire can spread. This is due to the large occupancy capacities that may be involved and the complexity of occupant behaviour including the potential for delay in occupant evacuation following the outbreak of fire. While the number of deaths from fires in non-domestic buildings is less than domestic buildings the potential for significant life loss and injuries is far greater.
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