Preventative fire safety

Fire hazards are unfortunately not just theoretical. Even in the planning stages of a building fire safety has to be considered.

Measures need to be taken that

• Prevent the start of fires
• Hinder the spread of fires
• Provide emergency and escape routes.

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Please explore the animation to the source of fire.

Fire spread

Fire spread indicates the override of a localized fire to other rooms or parts of buildings. The fire spread is favored by

• open doors
  
• open or cracked windows
• shafts
• Pipes and cable ducts
• and many other components

At room fires, the fire spread can be done within a few minutes.

Please watch the following videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-t_JA-2b8ac&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVfhzNZRXao

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Escape and rescue routes

An escape route is a particularly marked path that leads quickly and safely into the open air or to a safe area in case of a necessary escape. It is usually located inside the building.

An exit that leads directly to the outside or into a secured area is called the emergency exit.

Escape routes are marked along the course with self-luminous or illuminated legends. The identification is often coupled with an emergency lighting.

Image (public domain): http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluchtweg

Escape routes must be designed in the way that the persons in a building at the time of a particular risk (eg fire) can leave this as quickly as possible.

Escape routes must not be adjusted or sealed.

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A rescue route is used, unlike the escape route in case of fire, especially

• to provide the rescue workers the best possible access to the fire
• to save people and animals
  
• to rescue injured
  
• to carry out effective fire-fighting measures

Escape routes can also be used as rescue routes.

In any building that serves the permanent stay of people, so, for example, residential buildings or shops, two separate escape routes must be available to the outside.

The Musterbauordnung Bund concretizes this requirements (§ § 33-36).

Special requirements for shops

On the ground floor of the building there are shops and premises of service providers. Special fire protection requirements apply to these areas. These are summarized in the publication BGHW kompakt 18 (special requirements for shops).

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