You can now download the latest guidance from the Smoke Control Association regarding Common Escape Routes in Apartment Buildings.
The previous rendition of the guidance was published in 2012, providing some much-needed direction in the industry, becoming the default reference document for many designers, installers and authorities in the UK.
Common Escape Routes
The purpose of the guidance is to provide recommendations for the prevention of smoke spread through buildings operating a “stay put” policy, with the goal of improving the understanding of smoke control systems.
The document is segregated into systems and their functions, containing information on all the relevant legislation, standards and codes of practice. Previously, this information had not been attainable in the form of one concise document, standard or code of practice.
As a result of the guidance’s growing popularity and further developments in the industry, it was deemed that the document required an update.
Included in the latest revision are many new recommendations and updated product standards including:
- Objectives and Performance Criteria
- System Types
- Interaction with other Fire Protection Systems and other Building Systems.
- Equipment and Installation
- Commissioning and Acceptance Testing
- Maintenance
It also features a new section on Fire and Rescue Service Intervention and a limitation on the extension of travel distances. The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) are supportive of the factors which aid firefighting within this guide, and in particular:
- Limiting the scope of this guidance to only include common corridor lengths of up to 30m.
- Extracting away from the stair.
- Consideration of firefighting tenability.
- The simplification and consistency of firefighter system controls.
To download the guide, register your details at the below SCA resource centre: https://www.smokecontrol.org.uk/resources
