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.