Fire Safety

FIRE SAFETY PLANNING A SAFE EVACUATION

David Foord, Sales Director at Chubb, explains why planning for a safe evacuation is vital to a building’s fire safety strategy.

Most people have heard of the saying: “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” And this wise adage, widely attributed to American Diplomat and Scientist Benjamin Franklin, is as relevant today as it was in the 1700s. Advanced planning is valuable in many aspects of a business – especially regarding fire safety.

The 2017 Grenfell tragedy and subsequent ongoing public inquiry have shone a spotlight on the numerous fire safety failings, from poor Government regulation to unsafe workmanship, both the likely result of insufficient planning.

Since the publication of the 2018 Building a Safer Future report, the sector has been under immense pressure to change its approaches and adopt safer ways of working. This report highlighted the need for a greater focus on onsite safety, the specification of safe materials and the general lack of data recording.

Now with the Building Safety Act that came into effect in June last year, for the first time the industry has been issued clearer guidance for those buildings at “higher risk” – defined as buildings 18m in height or at least seven storeys with two or more residential units.

Emergency evacuation planning

When it comes to fire safety, emergency evacuation planning is essential for evacuating a location effectively and ensures a building remains compliant with the BS 8629 recommendations. An emergency evacuation plan also offers building owners and occupants excellent peace of mind.

With the changing nature of emergencies and the unique challenges of different building designs, we are seeing a growing need for tailor-made emergency plans, as no one solution fits all buildings.

High-rise buildings, in particular, need careful consideration. The requirement to evacuate large numbers of people across multiple floors, whilst coordinating the process swiftly and calmly, requires a bespoke solution to ensure that no stone remains unturned at the planning stage.

At Chubb, we have a seven-step rule regarding emergency evacuation planning – and we consider no plan complete until we have considered and addressed each step. This includes: fire prevention methods; devices to detect potential dangers; methods to contain and suppress fires; an early warning evacuation alert system; clear and concise evaluation rules, orders and procedures; occupant knowledge of the instructions; and adequate exit routes and alternative escape options to avoid danger.

High-rise evacuation alert system

Having an evacuation alert system in place is strongly recommended for EACIE (Evacuation Alert Control & Indicating Equipment) for tall buildings in England and Wales and is mandatory in Scotland.

In January 2022, we launched Chubb’s high-rise evacuation alert system – designed to warn and notify people at the earliest indication of fire and assist the UK’s Fire and Rescue Services in safely evacuating buildings over 18m.

Suitable for both new-build and retrofit applications, the system’s hybrid network capabilities allow building owners to tailor it to meet their specific requirements. It can also be continuously upgraded and extended to meet future legislative updates.  www.chubb.co.uk/high-rise-evacuation