Area of refuge
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
An Area of refuge is a location in a building designed to hold occupants during a fire or other emergency, when evacuation may not be safe or possible. Occupants can wait there until rescued by firefighters. This can apply to the following:
- any persons who cannot access a safe escape route
- any persons assisting another person who is prevented from escaping
- patients in a hospital
- sick people
- people with disabilities
- old people
- very young children or infants
- medical personnel who may be operating on a patient at the time of the emergency
- operators in a nuclear power station
[edit] Technical requirements
An Area of refuge is typically equipped with a steady supply of fresh outside air. The ducting that must supply such fresh air is referred to as pressurisation ductwork. Such ductwork are items of passive fire protection, subject to fire testing, product certification and strict bounding. The idea is that the ductwork must remain operable even while exposed to fire for a duration stipulated for each occupancy by the local building code. The electrical equipment supplying power to such systems must also be equipped with approved circuit integrity measures. Both must have a demonstrable fire-resistance rating that is acceptable to the Authority Having Jurisdiction. The same thing goes for emergency lighting in Areas of refuge.
[edit] Typical Areas of refuge
- Operating rooms in hospitals
- Stairwells (also to allow egress unimpeded by smoke)
Both examples above are also typically required to be bounded by walls and floors that have a fire-resistance rating.
