Life Safety Code Requirements Guideline throughout industrial and Storage Facilities

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Exit Doors are Meant for Exit

Life Safety Codes around the world require that all occupancies be provided with at least two exits. This assures that all occupants can escape to a safe location if there is a fire or any other emergency. However, and sometimes for security reasons, facility management locks some exits to ease crowd control and theft.

Although locking the doors achievs the required security, it violates the safe egress of occupants and hence, hinderes their life safety.

• Exit access and exit doors shall be designed and arranged to be clearly recognizable.


• Access to an exit shall not be obstructed by storage materials.


• Exit doors shall be provided with illuminated exit signs - on battery back-up power.

Wherever you find a locked exit, report it to facility management to immediately correct this violation and unlock the doors.

Fire Safety in the Bedroom

FIRE SAFETY IN THE BEDROOM

Each year, fire claims the lives of 14,000 people and injures 120,000. Bedrooms are a common area of fire origin. Nearly 2600 lives are lost to fires that start in bedrooms. Many of these fires are caused by misuse or poor maintenance of electrical devices, such as overloading extension cords or using portable space heaters too close to combustibles. Many other bedroom fires are caused by children who play with matches and lighters, careless smoking among adults, and arson. There are simple steps you can take to prevent the loss of life and property resulting from bedroom fires.

KIDS AND FIRE: A BAD MATCH

Children are one of the highest risk groups for deaths in residential fires. At home, children usually play with fire – lighters, matches and other ignitables – in bedrooms, in closets, and under beds. These are “secret” places where there are a lot of things that catch fire easily.

· Children of all ages set over 65,000 fires annually.

· Every year over 1400 children nine years and younger die in home fires.

· Keep matches and lighters locked up and away from children. Check under beds and in closets for burnt matches, evidence your child may be playing with matches.

· Teach your child that fire is a tool, not a toy

APPLIANCES NEED SPECIAL ATTENTION

Bedrooms are the most common room in the home where electrical fires start. Electrical fires are a special concern during winter months which call for more indoor activities and increases in lighting, heating, and appliance use.

· Do not trap electric cords against walls where heat can build up.

· Take extra care when using portable heaters. Keep bedding, clothes, curtains and other combustible items at least 1 meter away from space heaters.

· Only use lab-approved electric blankets and warmers. Check to make sure the cords are not frayed.

TUCK YOURSELF IN FOR A SAFE SLEEP

· Never smoke in bed.

· Replace mattresses made before the 1973. Mattresses made since then are required by law to be safer.

Finally, having working smoke alarms dramatically increases your chances of surviving a fire. Place at least one smoke alarm on each level of your home and in halls outside bedrooms.

Who I am and What I do

The safety expert is an NFPA Certified Fire Protection Specialist; a Masters Degree holder in Fire Protection Engineering and a Bachelor’s degree holder in Civil Engineering.

The safety expert’s scope of works include the minimum Life Safety Code requirements and reviews/studies for all required Preliminary Drawings, Specifications, BOQ, Cost Estimates and Tender Documents pertaining to all Fire Protection Installation Systems in different types of Occupancies.

Analysis methodology as follows:

GENERAL REQUIRMENTS
Classification of Occupancy,
Classification of Hazard of Contents,
Occupant Load.
MEANS OF EGRESS REQUIREMENTS
Doors; Panic Hardware or Fire Exit Hardware on doors.
Stairs, Smoke-proof Enclosures, Corridors.
Capacity of Means of Egress.
Minimum Corridor Width, Number of Exits,
Arrangement of Egress, Aisles, Travel Distance to Exits.
Illumination of Means of Egress, Emergency Lighting,
Marking of Means of Egress.

PROTECTION
Protection of Vertical Openings, Protection from Hazards.
Detection, Alarm, and Communications Systems.
Initiation, Notification, Emergency Forces Notification,
Extinguishment Requirements.
Portable extinguishers, fire hose systems, automatic water sprinklers,
and automatic suppression systems.

TRAINING OF PERSONNEL