FIRE SAFETY:

MEANS OF ESCAPE
Part – 4; Chapter–3
Bangladesh National Building Code 2006
COMPONENTS OF MEANS OF ESCAPE

• A means of escape shall be a continuous and unobstructed way of exit

travel from any point in a building to a street, the roof of a building or a
designated area of refuge.
• The path of travel along a means of escape may consist of three parts :
(a) The Exit Access: That portion of the means of escape which leads to
the entrance of an exit and is included in the measure of travel distance
to reach an exit shall be termed the exit access;
(b) The Exit: The exit itself shall be considered to be that portion of the
means of escape which is protected from the area of incidence and
provides a safe path to the exit discharge; and
(c) The Exit Discharge: The exit discharge shall comprise any portion of
the travel between the termination of exit and the exterior or the area of
refuge.
PARTS OF THE MEANS OF ESCAPE

The parts of the means of escape may consist of any of the

following exit components :
•A doorway, corridor or passage leading to an exterior or interior
staircase, smoke proof and fireproof enclosure, ramp, balcony, fire
escape or combination thereof, having direct access to the street, the
roof of a building or any designated refuge area which affords safety
from fire or smoke from the area of incidence;
•A horizontal exit from the affected building to an adjoining building or
an area of refuge at the same level which provides safety from fire
and smoke from the area of incidence and the areas communicating
therewith.
Lifts, escalators and moving walks shall not be regarded as
components of means of escape.
Occupant Load
Capacity of Exit Components

• The capacity of means of exit shall be adequate for the occupant

load of the area served thereby.
• The required width of each exit component shall be computed on
the basis of the exit width per occupant prescribed in table below,
subject to the minimum widths of each such component specified
in this code.

Buildings without Buildings with

Sprinkler System Sprinkler System
Required (mm per person) (mm per person)
Exit Width Stairways Ramps & Doors Stairways Ramps & Doors
per occupant Corridors Corridors

8 5 4 5 4 4
Corridors or Aisles

• Minimum width of the corridors and

passageways:
a) 1.1 m = 43.31 inch where serving an
occupant load of more than 50.
b) 0.9 m = 36 inch where serving an
occupant load of 50 or less.

• The minimum clear height of the corridors and

passageways shall not be less than 2.4 m =
94.49 inch.
Doorways (contd.)

• The width of a doorway shall not

be less than 1 m (39.37 inch)
and the height not less than 2 m
(78.74 inch).
• No sliding or hanging door shall
be used as a means of exit.
• All exit access doors shall be of
a side-swinging type.
• All exit doors shall be openable
from the side they serve without
the use of a key.
Fire Exit Stairways (contd.)

• The minimum widths of exit stairways

shall not be less than1.5 m (59.01 inch).
• Combination of the riser and the tread
dimensions shall be such that the sum of
the riser height and the tread depth shall
be between 400 mm (15.75 inch) and
425 mm (16.73 inch) with a minimum
tread depth of 215 mm (8.46 inch) and a
maximum riser height of 215 mm (8.46
inch) .
• The tread depth may include any nosing
and any increase due to slant riser
faces.
HORIZONTAL EXITS

The connection between an area of the building which the horizontal

exit serves and the area of refuge or another building shall be
provided with protected openings in 2 hour fire resistance rated walls,
or by open air balcony or bridge.

The horizontal
exit shall be
protected from
the area of
incidence by self
closing type fire
door.
Number of Exits

The required number of exits shall depend on

the occupant load as specified below :

Occupant load 500 or less Minimum 2

exits
Occupant load 501 to 1000 Minimum 3
exits
Occupant load more than Minimum 4
1000 exits

Exits shall be arranged in such a manner that

the travel distance from any point in the area
served shall not exceed 45 m (147.64 ft).