An escape route can make the difference in a fire emergency between a safe evacuation and a tragic accident.
Escape routes were designed first and foremost to protect building occupants from harm in an emergency or fire. They’re important for complying with Fire Safety Legislation.
Signing up and marking your emergency exit routes will not only help you to prevent injury or death in the event of a fire but also reduce the possibility of fines and damages.
When implementing an emergency fire procedure, the design of clear escape routes from fire should be given top priority. For advice on Fire Risk Assessment, visit https://isefireproducts.co.uk/fire-risk-assessments/
Well-defined and marked escape routes will help to save lives.
Identify potential hazards
Start by walking around the building and looking for any obstructions or hazards that could slow an evacuation.
Be on the lookout for obstructions to exits. Narrow corridors that can become bottlenecks or areas that are cluttered could lead to accidents as people rush out of the building.
Make sure that there aren’t any combustibles or ignition sources, such as electrical devices, along the escape route.
To open, all exit doors should open towards the escape direction and use the correct opening mechanism. This could be a push-bar/pad or a thumb-turn lock. The doors should be easily opened with just one hand, and not locked.
Remember to always consider the needs of people with disabilities – are your emergency exits wheelchair accessible?
Plan back-up exits
You should also consider the primary and secondary exits. Would they be easily accessible from any part of your premises in an emergency?
Maintaining fire escape routes
Maintaining fire escape routes during an emergency or fire is essential to protect people. Imagine planning out your escape routes in detail, but then having them slowly become unusable due to the lack of upkeep.