Annex D(Clause 4.11) Guidelines for Fire Drill and Evacuation Procedures for High Rise Buildings D-1 Introduction

In case of fire in a high rise building, safe evacuation of its occupants may present serious problems unless a plan for orderly and systematic evacuation is prepared in advance and all occupants are well drilled in the operation of such plan. These guidelines are intended to assist them in this task.

D-2 Alarms

Any person discovering fire, heat or smoke shall immediately report such condition to the fire brigade, unless he has personal knowledge that such a report has been made. No person shall make, issue, post or maintain any regulation or order, written or verbal, that would require any person to take any unnecessary delaying action prior to reporting such condition to the fire brigade.

D-3.1 Fire drills shall be conducted, in accordance with the Fire Safety Plan, at least once every three months for buildings during the first two years. Thereafter, fire drills shall be conducted at least once every six months.

D-3.2 All occupants of the building shall participate in the fire drill. However, occupants of the building, other than building service employees, are not required to leave the floor or use the exits during the drill.

D-3.3 A written record of such drills shall be kept on the premises for a three years period and shall be readily available for fire brigade inspection.

D-4 Signs and Plans

A sign shall be posted and maintained in a conspicuous place on every floor at or near the lift landing in accordance with the requirements, indicating that in case of fire, occupants shall use the stairs unless instructed otherwise. The sign shall contain a diagram showing the location of the stairways except that such diagram may be omitted, provided signs containing such diagram are posted in conspicuous places on the respective floor.

A sign shall read ‘IN CASE OF FIRE, USE STAIRS UNLESS INSTRUCTED OTHERWISE’. The lettering shall be at least 12.5 mm block letters in red and white

background. Such lettering shall be properly spaced to provide good legibility. The sign shall be at least $250 \, mm \times 300 \, mm$ , where the diagram is also incorporated in it and $62.5 \, mm \times 250 \, mm$ where the diagram is omitted. In the latter case, the diagram sign shall be at least $200 \, mm \times 300 \, mm$ . The sign shall be located directly above the call-button and squarely attached to the wall or partition. The top of the sign shall not be above $2 \, m$ from the floor level.

D-4.2 Floor Numbering Signs

A sign shall be posted and maintained within each stair enclosure on every floor, indicating the number of the floor, in accordance with the requirements given below.

The numerals shall be of bold type and at least 75 mm high. The numerals and background shall be in contrasting colours. The sign shall be securely attached to the stair side of the door.

D-4.3 Stair and Lifts Identification Signs

Each stairway and each lift bank shall be identified by an alphabetical letter. A sign indicating the letter of identification shall be posted and maintained at each lift landing and on the side of the stairway door from which egress is to be made, in accordance with the requirements given in 4.4.2.4.3.2(h)(9).

D-4.4 Stair Re-entry Signs

A sign shall be posted and maintained on each floor within each stairway and on the occupancy side of the stairway where required, indicating whether re-entry is provided into the building and the floor where such re-entry is provided, in accordance with the requirements given below.

The lettering and numerals of the signs shall be at least 12.5 mm high of bold type. The lettering and background shall be of contrasting colours and the signs shall be securely attached approximately 1.5 m above the floor level.

D-5.1 A format for the Fire Safety Plan shall be as given in D-9.10.

D-5.2 The applicable parts of the approved Fire Safety Plan shall be distributed to all tenants of the building by the building management when the Fire Safety Plan has been approved by the Fire Authority.

PART 4 FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY

D-5.3 The applicable parts of the approved Fire Safety Plan shall then be distributed by the tenants to all their employees and by the building management to all their building employees.

D-5.4 In the event there are changes from conditions existing at the time the Fire Safety Plan for the building was approved, and the changes are such so as to require amending the Fire Safety Plan, within 30 days after such changes, an amended Fire Safety Plan shall be submitted to the fire brigade for approval.

D-6 Fire Command Centre

A Fire Command Centre shall be established in the building (see 3.4.12).

D-7 Communications and Fire Alarm

A means of communication and fire alarm for use during fire emergencies shall be provided and maintained by the owner or person in charge of the building.

D-8 Fire Safety Plan Format

D-8.1 Building Address

Street and Pin Code Number....

Telephone Number....

D-8.2 Purpose and Objective

D-8.2.1 Purpose

To establish method of systematic, safe and orderly evacuation of an area or building by and of its occupants in case of fire or other emergency, in the least possible time, to a safe area by the nearest safe means of egress; also the use of such available fire appliances (including sounding of alarms) as may have been provided for controlling or extinguishing fire and safeguarding of human life.

D-8.2.2 Objective

To provide proper education as a part of continuing employee indoctrination and through a continuing written programme for all occupants, to ensure prompt reporting of fire, the response of fire alarms as designated, and the immediate initiation of fire safety procedures to safeguard life and contain fire until the arrival of the fire brigade.

D-8.3 Fire Safety Director

a) Name

b) Regularly assigned employment — Title

c) Regularly assigned location

d) How is he notified when at regular location?

e) How is he notified when not at regular location?

f) Normal working hours

g) Duties of Fire Safety Director (see D-9.1)

D-8.4 Deputy Fire Safety Director

a) Name

b) Regularly assigned employment — Title

c) Regularly assigned location

d) How is he notified when at regular location?

e) How is he notified when not at regular location?

f) Normal working hours

g) Duties of Deputy Fire Safety Director (see D-9.2)

D-8.5 Fire Wardens and Deputy Fire Wardens

a) Are their names on organization charts for each floor and/or tenancy?

b) Submit typical completed organization chart for Fire Drill and Evacuation Assignment.

c) Duties of Fire Wardens and Deputy Fire Wardens (see D-9.3).

D-8.6 Building Evacuation Supervisor

a) Name

b) Regularly assigned employment — Title

c) Regularly assigned location

d) How is he notified when at regular location?

e) How is he notified when not at regular location?

f) Normal working hours

g) Duties of Building Evacuation Supervisor (see D-9.4).

D-8.7 Fire Party

a) Submit a completed organization chart for Fire Parties naming person in charge, and his title in the building.

b) Indicate standards of selection from building employees based on background and availability.

c) How are they notified?

d) How are they notified when they are not at their regular locations?

e) Means of responding

f) Duties of each member of Fire Party (see D-9.5).

D-8.8 Occupants Instructions

Distribution of instructions of all tenants, tenants' employees and building employees (see D-9.6).

D-8.9 Evacuation Drills

a) Frequency of drills

b) How conducted?

c) Participation? Who participated? How?

d) Controls and supervision

e) Recording of details of drills

D-8.10 Fire Command Station

a) Location

b) Requirements:

1. Adequate illumination

2. Adequate communication to mechanical equipment room and lifts control room on each floor

3. Copy of Fire Safety Plan

4. Copy of Building Information Form

5. Representative floor plans showing location of signs, floor remote station, communications, etc

D-8.11 Signs

a) Signs at lifts landings, Floor diagrams

b) Floor numbering

c) Stairway identification

d) Lifts identification

e) Stair re-entry

D-8.12 Fire Prevention and Fire Protection Programme

See D-9.7.

D-8.13 Building Information Form

see D-9.8

D-8.14 Representative Floor Plan

See D-9.9

D-8.15 Fire Safety Plan Prepared by

See D-9.10

a) Date when prepared, and

b) Date when revised

D-9 Duties

D-9.1.1 Be familiar with the written Fire Safety Plan providing for fire drill and evacuation procedure in accordance with orders on the subject.

D-9.1.2 Select qualified building service employees for a Fire Party and organize, train and supervise such fire brigade.

D-9.1.3 Be responsible for the availability and state of readiness of the Fire Party.

D-9.1.4 Conduct fire and evacuation drills.

D-9.1.5 Be responsible for the designation and training of a Fire Warden for each floor, and sufficient Deputy Fire Wardens for each tenancy in accordance with orders on the subject.

D-9.1.6 Be responsible for a daily check for the availability of the Fire Wardens, and see that up-to-date organization charts are posted.

NOTE — If the number of Fire Wardens and Deputy Fire Wardens in the building is such that it is impractical to individually contact each one daily, a suggested method to satisfy the requirements is to make provisions for the Fire Warden, or a Deputy Fire Warden in the absence of the Fire Warden, to notify the Fire Safety Director when the Fire Warden or required number of Deputy Fire Wardens are not available. In order to determine the compliance by the Fire Warden and Deputy Fire Wardens, when this method is used, the Fire Safety Director shall make a spot check of several different floors each day.

D-9.1.7 Notify the owner or some other person having charge of the building when any designated individual is neglecting his responsibilities contained in Fire Safety Plan. The owner or the other person in-charge of the building shall bring the matter to the attention of the firm employing the individual. If the firm fails to correct the condition, the fire department shall be notified by the owner/person in charge of the building.

D-9.1.8 In the event of fire, shall report to the fire command centre to supervise, provide for and coordinate with respect to the following:

a) Ensuring that the fire department has been notified of any fire or fire alarm.

b) Manning of the fire command station.

c) Direction of evacuating procedures as provided in the Fire Safety Plan.

d) Report on conditions on fire floor for information of fire department on their arrival.

e) Advising the fire department officer in-charge in the operation of the Fire Command Centre.

D-9.1.9 Be responsible for the training and activities of the Building Evacuation Supervisor.

D-9.2 Deputy Fire Safety Director's Duties

a) He is the subordinate to the Fire Safety Director.

b) He shall perform duties of Fire Safety Director in his absence.