Using lifts may be viable when evacuating people in an emergency, according to a new technical report from the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO).
The report ISO/TR 25743:2010, Lifts (elevators) – Study of the use of lifts for evacuation during an emergency, investigates and highlights some of the main risks associated with using lifts for evacuation in various types of emergency such as fire, explosions and chemical or biological attacks.
The report’s key objective is to provide building designers with a decision-making process to determine whether a given design can enable the safe use of lifts in the event of an emergency for a particular building. It can be applied to lifts and buildings of any size, whether new or existing, says ISO.
“Over the past few years there has been considerable debate regarding the risks and hazards associated with using lifts during evacuations,” said Derek Smith, project leader of the report.
“As buildings get taller and larger, determining the extent of these risks and what can be done to minimise them is even more pressing, particularly as lifts can help persons with restricted mobility and other problems to evacuate buildings with relative ease. And in some special cases, depending on the building’s size and design, lifts may also significantly reduce general evacuation time,” said Mr. Smith.
The document includes a flow chart to guide users through a decision making process asking questions such as:
- Is the emergency a fire?
- Should the building be evacuated?
- Has the structure been compromised?
Each answer leads to another question, or to a ‘decision’ with detailed explanations provided in an annex.
“The report provides guidance but clearly the final decision will be taken by the building designer,” added Mr. Smith. “Not all buildings are subject to the same risks and it is up to the designer to identify the most important risks for each structure and select the most appropriate solutions.”
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