By their very nature, high-rise buildings present significant challenges when it comes to emergency evacuation processes. Considering multiple floors, a limited number of exits and a high number of occupants with varying levels of ability needs, ensuring a safe and efficient evacuation process is a critical responsibility, and one that lies with you. The following learning resource outlines the best practices that building managers and facility maintenance teams can follow to protect people in the event of an emergency.
The advice we’ve shared in this blog isn’t only for the benefit of you as a key decision maker in the operations of the building. The benefits of following this guidance equally applies to OHS professionals, first responders and the occupants of your building, including those who may require assistance in the event of an emergency. We provide a comprehensive approach in the following article, however all readers should refer to the specific codes for their own province or territory under the Canadian National Building Code and National Fire Code.
The Challenges of High-Rise Evacuations: An Overview
According to a 2019 study, there is no data to suggest that fire-related casualties increase with building height. However, insights from Fire Fighting Canada address the range of unique challenges that come with tall buildings.
Indeed, high-rise buildings are more susceptible to a variety of hazards, ranging from fires to earthquakes and power outages. Their high susceptibility to risk can be attributed to their vertical nature: a far more complicated process than experienced in low-rise buildings. Below, we’ve highlighted some of the key challenges that your high-rise evacuation plan should consider:
1. Vertical movement:
Evacuating large numbers of people down multiple flights of stairs can be both time-consuming and physically demanding. These issues are multiplied if occupants of the building are injured or suffer from mobility issues.
2. Limited exits:
A common feature of taller buildings is their lower number of exits and escape routes compared to low-rise buildings. This increases the risk of congestion during an evacuation: a scenario that is often fraught with panic and rushed movement.
3. Smoke and fire:
Fires are only one of the risks faced by high-rise buildings, but should receive special focus in your evacuation procedures. Smoke and heat can spread through stairwells and elevator shafts, creating additional hazards in an already-dangerous situation.
4. Communication challenges:
Strong, continuous communication between groups is essential for any high-rise building’s evacuation plan. However, this can be highly challenging due to the size of the building and the potential for communication systems to fail.
These four elements should form cornerstones of your high-rise building evacuation plan. In the next section, we share some expert advice on how to create a plan that addresses these issues.
High-Rise Evacuation Planning: Essential Elements
What are the essential elements of an effective high-rise building evacuation plan? The fact is that no two high-rise buildings are the same. However, there are a number of universal tips that can be adopted in virtually any building. Below, we have compiled an essential checklist:
1. Assessing Risks
Before creating your high-rise evacuation plan, it is essential that you begin with a comprehensive and thorough risk assessment to identify any potential hazards that are specific to your building. This should include evaluating the risk of fires, as well as any structural vulnerabilities and other potential threats.
2. Establish Clear Routes
Any evacuation plan should have clear, safe exit routes at its core. Your plan should therefore designate and clearly mark all evacuation routes throughout your building. However, your effort in establishing clear routes shouldn’t end there.
Once you’ve established your routes, you must ensure that at all times, these routes are totally free from any obstacles that could cause a trip or fall injury, or that may cause an obstruction to fire exits. Beyond these considerations, your evacuation routes should be fully equipped with operational emergency lighting and signage to guid the occupants of your building. As specialists in roof safety, it is important that if an emergency were to occur, that those workers on the roof can get to safety with ease as time is of the essence. Having to to clumb over vents/ducts or run across a sloped roof with no walkway can make for a dangerous scenario.
3. Ensure Robust Communication
As discussed in the previous section, ensuring strong and continuous communication in high-rise buildings can present a significant challenge. Your approach should ensure that your communications can reach all occupants, regardless of their location in the building.
Aside from alarms, your communications infrastructure should include public address systems and backup communication methods in the event of a fire.
4. Evacuation Drilling
The importance of including regular drills in your evacuation strategy should not be underestimated. It is essential that you regularly conduct these drills to familiarize the occupants of your building with any evacuation routes and related procedures.
The key to doing this in an effective manner is by conducting the drills at different times of the day to account for varying occupancy levels.
5. Mobility Assistance
As previously discussed, your building will likely house occupants with varying levels of mobility. Your high-rise evacuation strategy should create a comprehensive plan for assisting those occupants, including the disabled, the elderly and those who may be suffering with an injury.
There are a number of ways of assisting in the event of an emergency. For instance, your plan could include evacuation chairs or assigning staff to assist people during the evacuation process.
6. Ensure Proper Fire Safety Systems
In accordance with the law and to achieve any successful evacuation, your building must be fully equipped with up-to-date fire safety systems, including fire alarms, smoke detectors and sprinklers. Your plan should also include measures to regularly maintain and test those systems.
7. Identify Assembly Areas
The outside of your high-rise building should include designated safe assembly areas where occupants can gather after evacuating.
Your decision around designating safe assembly zones will largely depend on the surroundings of your building. However, they should generally be at a safe distance from the building, allowing full access to emergency services.
8. Coordinate with Emergency Services
Once you’ve created your evacuation plan, fully encompassing the seven steps listed above, you reach the final (and potentially most important) step. At this point, it is critical to establish a clear line of communication with your local emergency services, including the fire department and medical responders.
When coordinating with emergency services, be sure to provide them with detailed building layouts to ensure they are familiar with your evacuation plan.
Using Safety Solutions to Enhance Your Strategy
Creating a comprehensive and fully considered plan only forms half of a successful evacuation. In order to protect the welfare of the many people who depend on the safety of your building, it is essential to employ solutions that ensure occupants can evacuate quickly.Here are just a few Skyline solutions that can help:
- Fixed and non-penetrating guardrails: Skyline Group offers both fixed and non-penetrating guardrails that can be installed without compromising the building’s structure. These guardrails provide a critical safety barrier, ensuring that occupants can safely navigate elevated areas during an evacuation.
- Emergency exit ladders: In situations where traditional stairwells are inaccessible, emergency exit ladders can provide an alternative means of evacuation. Skyline Group’s modular aluminum ladders are lightweight, durable, and easy to install.
- Crossover bridges: Crossover bridges are particularly useful in high-rise buildings with multiple rooftop levels or complex layouts. These bridges provide safe passage over obstacles such as pipes, ducts, and other equipment, ensuring that occupants can navigate the rooftop safely during an evacuation.
- Walkways and anti-slip surfaces: During an evacuation, slips, trips, and falls can pose a significant risk, especially in high-stress situations. Skyline Group’s walkways and anti-slip surfaces are designed to reduce the risk of these accidents.
- Safety signage and markings: Clear and visible safety signage is crucial for guiding occupants during an evacuation. These signs can indicate evacuation routes, emergency exits, and assembly areas, helping to ensure that occupants can evacuate efficiently.
Skyline Group: Elevated Work, Elevated Safety
Here at Skyline Group, we combine decades of safety experience with a comprehensive industry to bring the levels of safety on your rooftop to new heights. To get started, browse our full selection of safety solutions. Alternatively, reach out to one of our experts for a consultation.
