Towards the characterization of large retail stores

✍ Scribed by T. J. Shields; K. E. Boyce; G. W. H. Silcock

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1999
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 106 KB
• Volume: 23
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0308-0501
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1099-1018(199911/12)23:6<325::aid-fam706>3.0.co;2-0

✦ Synopsis

This paper presents the results obtained from an unannounced evacuation of a single storey, Marks & Spencer store. The purpose of the work was to obtain insights with respect to the actual emergency evacuation performance of the store in relation to perceived performance as represented in BSI DD240 Fire Safety Engineering in Buildings Part 1, Guide to the Application of Fire Safety Engineering Principles. The unannounced evacuation was video taped and questionnaires were administered to the evacuees as they left the store. Analysis of the questionnaires yielded data su7cient to characterize the occupancy of the store. Analysis of the video tapes yielded actual pre-movement times and the total evacuation time for the store. The total evacuation time was 2 min 45 s, i.e. the total evacuation time was less than the recognition time for a W3 alarm system suggested in BSI DD240. The results suggest that well trained sta4 in combination with a W3 warning system, i.e. warning bell only, can produce results which might well be associated with a W1 system, i.e. live directives using a voice system, in BSI DD240.