|
Balancing Security and Fire Safety: It Starts in Stairwells
By Claude Hollyfield,
DAHC
Close your eyes and locate the nearest fire exit in your building.
Now imagine the same route engulfed with blinding smoke and fire
could you still find it?
Occupant safety in high-rise buildings depends
on being able to quickly exit into stairwells and gain access to
other safe floors if necessary to find another exit stairwell. As
recent high-rise tragedies have illustrated, moving away from a
gauntlet of flame, smoke or heat doesn't always ensure the safety of
those in distress. All too often, those fleeing for safety encounter
a host of roadblocks unrelated to the fire itself, but devastating
nonetheless in the final outcome.
Chicago high-rise fire
On October 16, 2003, a fire in the 12th-floor
supply room of the Cook County Administration Building in Chicago
killed six people. The cause of the fire in the 37-story Loop
building remains under investigation, but several facts are
undisputed:
·
All six victims died of smoke inhalation after
being trapped in the upper floors of a stairwell behind doors that
locked automatically.
·
The stairwell doors were locked as a security measure,
conflicting with fire safety and evacuation plans.
·
Firefighters were delayed in gaining access to all floors.
During the evacuation of the upper floors of
the Cook County building, a public-address announcement to the
building's 2,500 workers called for an evacuation of the upper
floors, survivors said. When the descending occupants reached the
12th floor, they encountered thick, black smoke, and a stream of
occupants heading back up the stairwell.
But because all stairwell doors were locked on
the stairwell side as a security measure, no one could re-enter a
higher floor.
Safe solutions needed
Simply put, safe solutions are paramount to
ensure occupant safety in any fire. As the tragic high-rise fire in
Chicago demonstrated, something as simple as an unlocked door or a
locking system that automatically opens in an emergency could have
prevented the deaths.
High-rise buildings built before 1975
including the Cook County Administration Building were not
required to comply with current codes, and are exempt from National
Fire Protection Association (NFPA) codes that mandate newer, more
practical solutions to reduce the burden of fire and fire-related
hazards.
According to current NFPA codes on stairwell
locking systems, Every stair enclosure door shall allow re-entry
from the stair enclosure to the interior of the building, or an
automatic release shall be provided to unlock all stair enclosure
doors to allow re-entry. Such automatic release shall be activated
with the initiation of the building fire alarm system.
Door hardware solutions
The door hardware industry offers several
solutions to the new code requirements, ranging from basic to
complex:
·
Simple passage sets
Passage set hardware is always unlocked, much like common
hardware devices found in office buildings. These sets cannot be
locked and serve only to latch the door.
·
Electric locking devices
These fail-safe devices are designed to release
automatically when the building alarm system is activated in an
emergency. The devices also include a manual release at the
building's central fire panel. Electric locking devices include
mortise locks, cylindrical locks and exit devices.
·
Electromagnetic locks
These devices are made up of an electromagnet on the
doorframe and an armature plate on the door. When power is applied
to the electromagnet, the strength of the electromagnet keeps the
door locked. In the event of an emergency, the central fire panel
de-activates the magnet, allowing the door to be opened.
Finding a balance
Security issues must be balanced against
occupant safety and the ability to gain quick access to safe floors
in the event of a high-rise emergency.
Cost, of course, enters as a key concern for
building owners and managers. But while more money may translate
into higher security, it doesn't necessarily increase safety. The
goal is to develop an approach that keeps safety constant and
within local codes while outfitting stairwell doors with devices
that ensure the desired degree of building security.
CLAUDE HOLLYFIELD, DAHC, is director of
training for YSG Door Security Consultants, Monroe, N.C., which will
offer educational seminars at various locations in the Chicago
market during the week of April 26-30, 2004. The AIA/CES-approved
seminars are open to building owners, managers, architects,
specifiers, hardware installers and others who may have an interest
in the issue. Participants may register by contacting Betty Hamilton
at (800) 438-1951, ext. 203, or via e-mail to
training@ysgsecurity.com.
© 2008 Penton Media Inc.
|
