Introduction to Fire Safety Management

Introduction to Fire Safety Management
All fi re safety signs must comply with the Health
and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations
1996 or comply with British Standard BS 5499 Part 1.
Signage in hospitals will also need to comply with the
Health Technical Memorandum way fi nding (supersedes
HTM 65).
Where a fi re risk assessment identifi es the need
for a sign, the sign should be displayed prominently,
conspicuously and appropriately having regard to the
environment and occupancy profi le of the building.
Fire safety signs should not be sited such that they
are overridden with other types of public information or
property management signs, and should be consistent
in style and design throughout the building.
Signage will also need to be displayed that gives
information and instructions relating to:
➤ Escape routes
➤ Fire doors
➤ The location of extinguishers
➤ The location of manual fi re alarm call points
➤ The location of evacuation assembly points
➤ Fire action signage.
Escape routes
Every doorway or other exit providing access to a means
of escape, other than exits in ordinary use (e.g. main
Figure 9.57 Typical emergency escape signs
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Sign, Colour & Pictogram Description, Uses and Conventions
Safe condition signs are used to indicate
escape routes, emergency exits and operation
of devices related to Escape Routes
emergency door operations, etc.
Used without an arrow above the ‘Final Fire
Exit’ door leading directly to safety. Usually at
the door leading outside to fresh air.
Used to direct a person to a fire exit indicating
that the direction of tracel is - straight on from
here or straight on and up from here
Used to direct a person to a fire exit indicating
that the direction of travel is - straight on and
down from here
Used to direct a person to a fire exit, indicating
that the direction of travel is - left from here
Used to direct a person to a fire exit indicating
that the direction of travel is - right from here
entrances), should be distinctively and conspicuously
marked by an exit sign.
All fi re exit signs should be illuminated under normal
conditions (signs that are not internally lit or backlit
should be lit by primary or secondary lighting). Internally
lit or backlit signs should remain illuminated in the event
of power failure.
Photoluminescent signs will assist in providing clear
visibility in all lighting levels, particularly those that are
lower light such as in basements and plant rooms. The
signs are manufactured with a material which absorbs
and stores energy from daylight or artifi cial light and
thus glow in low light/dark conditions.
Signs should be provided in stairways to identify the
current fl oor and the fi nal exit.
Figures 9.58 to 9.59 some of the more common
safety and fi re safety signs for use in buildings.
Figure 9.56 Photo luminescent fi re exit sign
Sign, Colour & Pictogram Description, Uses and Conventions
Used to direct a person to a fire exit indicating
that the direction of travel is - up and left from
here
Used to direct a person to a fire exit indicating
that the direction of travel is - up and right from
here
Used to direct a person to a fire exit indicating
that the direction of travel is - down and right
from here
Used to direct a person to a fire exit indicating
that the direction of travel is - down and left from
here
General:
Example of directional signs indicating a route
that is suitable for Disabled Persons with mobility
problems - leading directly to a fire exit or a
disabled refuge.
Idicating that the direction of travel is - right or
down from here etc.