Risk assessment for Fire Egress in Institutional Occupancy Buildings

Abstract

Fire safety in hospitals is a challenge as it caters to the most vulnerable population. In case of fire emergencies special requirements must be met while evacuating such people. Hospital fire incidents in India have claimed many lives over years and has resulted in damage to properties. In the current era with an increasing number of fire incidents, and with an increase in the scale and the complexity of the buildings and structures the, the safe egress of the occupants and evacuation has become very important and can be regarded as the major source of fatality in the fire accidents in the buildings either due to occupants being trapped because of the non- compliance of the building standards prevailing and appropriate for the state or region or due to the negligence of the facility managers and project managers in installation and maintaining the Fire prevention system in both active and passive category specific to the components of the egress. This situation is further aggravated in the hospital buildings due to the existence of vulnerable patients, the presence of potentially dangerous substances and the need for constant assistance for the evacuees. The aim of the paper is to assess the potential fire risk, judge their probabilities, and arrive at the Fire risk factor of fire egress in Institutional occupancy buildings (Healthcare sector).