Effective life safety emergency procedures and features

There is a risk of fires escalating into full scale disasters in multi-storey apartment buildings. For facility managers, emergency evacuation plans refer to a document containing the policies and procedures for responding to any emergency quickly and safely. In the event of an emergency, such as a fire, active threat or a natural disaster, occupants need to know how to identify and respond in a timely manner.

Owners and managers of building complexes have a responsibility to ensure that systems and procedures are in place, so that minor incidents do not escalate into full scale emergencies. In the rare occasion that they do escalate, occupants should be warned and efficiently evacuated to safety. 

As a result, people should be more cognisant of ways to protect their safety and security. These concerns are particularly strong amongst those living in major cities, especially those living in high-rise and multi-unit dwellings which bring a complex set of circumstances to the safety and security of residences. 

The risk in apartment buildings is high due to the large number of people residing in complexes, in relatively condensed spaces. The dangers are compounded by the variety of possible activities, such as smoking, cooking, BBQs, or the use of heaters, as well as common fire safety defects such as unsealed penetrations in fire walls, combustible Aluminium Composite Panels (ACP) on the facade and incorrectly installed fire dampers.

The evacuation of residential buildings is more complex compared to office buildings. Residential buildings have different occupant issues to consider, such as those who may be very young, old, mentally or physically impaired, and dangers can happen at any hour of the day or night. Consideration must also be given to people from non-English speaking backgrounds. Therefore, buildings with installed sprinklers may be more suited to phased evacuation or protect in place evacuation strategies.

People who have to exit a burning apartment or building are likely to be under significant psychological stress. They may even be under physical stress if they cannot locate the escape routes when power is cut or their visibility is impaired by smoke. Emergency procedures and evacuation plans must be simple and communicated to all occupants well in advance. Evacuation routes must be direct, well-marked, kept clear and accessible at all times.

Any passive fire protection systems such as fire doors and smoke vents must be well maintained and unimpeded. All residents must know the importance of these systems. Manual and automatic fire fighting systems must be installed and maintained as per relevant standards. Residents and other relevant personal should be trained in their location, operation and use.

According to Australian Standards ‘Planning for emergencies in facilities’ (AS 3745-2010), the focus on emergency procedures for building occupants defines an emergency as, “any event which arises internally, or from external sources, which may adversely affect the occupants or visitors in a facility, and which requires an immediate response”. This could include fire, structural failure, equipment failure, toxic spills, cyclone, earthquake, terrorism, bomb threats and civil unrest. 

There are obligations on owners, occupiers and controllers of premises to ensure the safe departure of people in the event of an emergency, which can be legally enforced.

Building owners and managers should ensure that leases not only cover the safety of the occupants in an emergency, but should also allow occupants to participate in emergency planning, evacuation exercises and acknowledge the authority of designated wardens in emergency situations.

As a result, the following should be in place:

• Emergency procedures must be developed and reviewed at least every 12 months.
• All management staff are inducted into the organisation’s emergency procedures.
• Wardens should be trained every six months.
• Records must be maintained of who has been trained and what was covered in the training. 
• All occupants must take part in a building evacuation at least every 12 months.
   

Since physical evacuation drills can be very difficult to perform in some large residential complexes, a yearly reminder of emergency procedures can be sent to residents. This can be supplied during the Annual General Meeting or an annual mail-out can be delivered to all residents in-lieu of physical drills.

Under various state building and safety regulations, property owners and managers are obligated annually to verify that essential services/safety measures (inspections and maintenance) comply with statutory requirements by signing an annual statement, such as an annual fire safety statement.

These annual statements must be forwarded to the Fire Brigade and/or local council and in some cases be displayed prominently in the building.

Essential services and fire safety systems includes:

• Emergency Warning and Intercommunication System (EWIS) systems
• Automatic sprinklers or other suppression systems
• Hydrants, hose reels, portable extinguishers and blankets
• Fire detection and alarm systems
• Emergency lighting and exit signs
• Fire doors, passageways, fire stairs
• Fire dampers
• Escalators and lifts
• Smoke spill and air conditioning systems
• Kitchen exhaust systems

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