Residents' Evacuation Capability in Buildings

The average need for assistance per resident will decrease to 0.4 in blocks of service
flats, 0.7 in old people«s homes and 0.6 in group-residential units. These figures should
be compaired with the corresponding figures in multi-storeyed buildings, which are 1.2,
1.3 and 1.2.
15
Safety level in care housing according to the latest proposal of Swedish buildings
standards, in practice in 1994.
By defining the residents« evacuation capability and the need for assistance in an emergency
situation we are able to establish the equivalence of the proposals for the
Swedish Building Standards of 1994 (BBR -94).
The proposed new building standards consists of regulations and general advice. The
regulations are basic requirements of general interest. The general advice in connection
with a regulation should make the regulation clearer and give one or two alternative
ways to make the requirement fulfilled. There are two types of advice; 'should' and
'may'. The 'should' advice means a recommendation from the authority. Other solutions
than those mentioned in the advice may be accepted. The 'may' advice is intended as
example of one way among others to fulfil the demand of the regulation.
How do the new safety provisions meet the demands for safety measures in various
forms of care housing? As an aid for this analysis Table 2 showing the aim of safety
measures is used.
Fire control
According to BBR -94 means of automatic fire alarm is required in buildings disposed
of alternative housing, that is care housing. The advice reads; The automatic alarm
should consist of smoke detectors giving indication to on-site staff. When staff is not
available the alarm should be transmitted to the fire station. The demand for 24 hours
staff attendence could not be claimed by the National Board of Housing, Building and
Planning.
As prevention of smoke and fire spread compartmentation is proposed. Like in previous
versions of building standards a flat, a ward and an escape route are exemples of such
fire compartments. Two separate exits are demanded from common premises. A door
separating different parts of an escape route or an escape route from rooms where
occupants are expected to know little about the locality, should be self closing. Fire
appliances such as delivering conduits should be found in buildings where alternative
escape routes occur, e.g. firefighting lifts, horizontal evacuation in ward premises.
Protection of people
The BBR-94 means considerable improvement of the prerequisites for safe escape or
Residents Evacuation Capability in Buildings…., Gun Hallberg, Domotic Lab. KTH, Stockholm 1993