Fire Protection Challenges of the Americans Disabilities Act: Elevator Evacuation and Refuge Areas.
Fire Protection Challenges of the Americans Disabilities
Act: Elevator Evacuation and Refuge Areas.
(1657 K)
Klote, J. H.; Fowell, A. J.
NIST SP 983;
Collected Publications Related to the Use of Elevators
During Fires. NIST SP 983. May 2002, Bukowski, R. W.;
Burgess, S. R.; Reneke, P. A., Editors, 2002 AND
University of Ulster and Fire Research Station. CIB
W14: Fire Safety Engineering. International Symposium
and Workshops Engineering Fire Safety in the Process of
Design: Demonstrating Equivalency. Part 1. Symposium:
Engineering Fire Safety for People With Mixed Abilities.
September 13-16, 1993, Newtonabbey, Northern Ireland,
79-95 pp, 1993, 2002.
Available from:
TO VIEW NIST SP 983 GO TO
Website:
http://wtc.nist.gov/pubs/elevators
Keywords:
fire safety; handicapped; fire protection; elevators
(lifts); evacuation; refuge; people movement; smoke;
water; piston effect; computer programs
Abstract:
There is a rising concern for the safety of persons from
fire who cannot travel building emergency exit routes in
the same manner or as quickly as expected of able
persons. One proposed solution for providing safety for
persons with mobility limitations is the use of
elevators for fire evacuation. Another proposed
solution is the concept of areas of refuge where they
can "safely wait" until they can be assisted in leaving
the building. The system concepts and
interrelationships of these two alternatives are
discussed. An overview of an area of refuge study
conducted at NIST is presented. Other topics addressed
are elevator people movement, elevator water problem,
and smoke control concepts.
