A fire escape is an element that currently exists in every high-rise building. According to the state standard of the Russian Federation, it should be used for external stair construction emergency and evacuation exits. This equipment is installed outside of structures and buildings and should be used in emergency situations for rescue and evacuation of people located in the building, and also for rescuers to climb on the roof and to get the equipment for extinguishing fires. It is necessary to ensure the reliability and safety of the whole structure to produce timely action for evacuation. That’s why appropriate testing of fire escapes is so important.
Why is it necessary to check the stairs for fire safety?
If you want the manual evacuation facilities to be in good condition and meet the requirements of GOST standards and JECFA, it requires regular and timely testing of fire escapes. By results of the check, it becomes possible to determine not only compliance with GOST and JECFA but also the need for more activities that apply to this stationary equipment.
For example, you can quickly and promptly identify if there is a need to repair the exterior fire escapes, and swiftly eliminate all defects. Remember that compliance with the requirements of GOST and JECFA is needed to thoroughly ensure the safety of employees and tenants of the building.
The examination includes the preparation of the protocol or acts, where the results of the screening are written. The protocol is filled in the sample provided with the standard GOST. It is important to note that these designs are used not only in emergencies but also to perform technical tasks – that’s why you need to follow the rules of passing the test according to GOST, as well as the frequency of inspections.
Classification of fire escapes
Exterior evacuation manual stairs are divided into:
- vertical direct staircases;
- marching staircases – according to the requirements of GOST, the slope of this structure should not be higher than 6:1.
When you select the vertical construction the steps must be placed from the base of the structures or buildings to the roof; the marching staircases have several marches, which can be divided by platforms at the same distances. Vertical elements should be used if the building height does not exceed twenty meters, and marching constructions are used when the lifting height is more than twenty meters. It is important to note that the presence of a ladder structure is essential for any structures with a height of ten meters or more.
When checking and testing external fire escapes, you should examine not only the compliance of buildings with the requirements of GOST but the number of fire exits. You must attend at least one output; their number increases with the increase in the size of the building. If the building has attic flooring, fire exit must be present every hundred meters. If you use any other cover, the amount of the recommended emergency exits is reduced to one thousand at a square meter.
The inspection and preparation of the protocol
Test fire escapes should be conducted once in five years. However, you shouldn’t forget that every year you should conduct the verification of the structural integrity.
Verification should be held only by the organization that is authorized for this procedure; it should be permitted to conduct such kinds of works as well as this type of activity should be stated from the organization’s statutory documents.
Also, the company needs to employ more experts with higher education and appropriate technical means and stands for testing.
The verification is performed at a fixed value; the price may vary depending on the type of design and scope of work. After the verification, the specialists of the company will prepare a specialized report in which they will write the information about activities and their results. The connections and their strength, anti-corrosion coating, and the integrity of the surfaces are mandatorily diagnosed. We also study a parameter, such as the reliability of the steps. According to the state standards, each structure must bear the burden of one hundred and eighty pounds to avoid injury.
Remember that the regular inspection by specialists is needed in order to keep fire and evacuation stairs in good condition. And since evacuation flights are usually welded, you should read the material about welded stairs, and you learn all about weld marches. Share your opinions in the comments; don’t forget to advise the information to your friends.
