Get a head start on high-rise evacuation requirements.Commercial building owners and property managers throughout New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. will soon begin grappling with a new challenge--how to comply on time and on budget with the city's new safety regulations for high-rise buildings high-rise building Multistory building taller than the maximum height people are willing to walk up, thus requiring vertical mechanical transportation. The introduction of safe passenger elevators made practical the erection of buildings more than four or five stories tall. . Known as Local Law 26, the revision to the city's building code effects all commercial properties over 75 feet. The law also applies to all new construction going forward. A key part of the law mandates photoluminescent (or "glow-in-the-dark") markings be installed in stairwells to provide much-needed guidance during an evacuation in a fire or other lights-out emergency. Existing buildings must have this retrofit ret·ro·fit v. ret·ro·fit·ted or ret·ro·fit, ret·ro·fit·ting, ret·ro·fits v.tr. 1. To provide (a jet, automobile, computer, or factory, for example) with parts, devices, or equipment not in work completed by July 1, 2006. For new construction, the photoluminescent (PL) markings will likely be a condition of occupancy. Whether you own/manage one three-story building or multiple high-rises, the law presents a range of challenges. You'll want to consider the following questions before purchasing and installing PL materials: * Is there sufficient ambient light in stairwells to charge PL markings? * Are walls smooth? Textured? Do they have mortar joints? * What construction are the steps--concrete? Metal? Marble? Wood? * What construction are the handrails--circular pipe? Wood? Iron? Metal? * What type of paints, varnishes and other coatings are used in the stairwells? * How aggressive are the cleaning materials used? * Are the stairwells exposed to sun light? The above questions will drive the choice in selecting from a range of PL products. PL products typically give a choice of thin film (tape) with pressure sensitive adhesives Pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA, self adhesive, self stick adhesive) is adhesive that forms a bond when pressure is applied to marry the adhesive with the adherend. No solvent, water, or heat is needed to activate the adhesive. , paint, or molded products that are attached mechanically. Some factors to consider: * Paint could require multiple coats based on the nature of the wall surfaces * Adhesive-based product should have some guarantee that the material will stay fixed * Molded products could add additional costs to the marking system While the above considerations apply to all buildings equally, there are another set of issues, based on the number of properties owned or managed. Chief among the challenges is the short amount of time-approximately one year--to become compliant. For some, meeting this requirement will be relatively straightforward; for others the new provision will present a set of logistical lo·gis·tic also lo·gis·ti·cal adj. 1. Of or relating to symbolic logic. 2. Of or relating to logistics. [Medieval Latin logisticus, of calculation issues that need to be addressed soon. The owner of a single three-story building, for instance, may be able to implement a "do-it-yourself" PL system. The do-it-yourself approach is fairly clear-cut. A building owner can purchase code compliant material and self-install following the guidelines guidelines, n.pl a set of standards, criteria, or specifications to be used or followed in the performance of certain tasks. established by the city and the materials manufacturer. While not yet finalized See finalization. , it is believed that a building owner will have to install way-finding markings on stairwell stair·well n. A vertical shaft around which a staircase has been built. stairwell Noun a vertical shaft in a building that contains a staircase Noun 1. walls and handrails; mark stair stair n. 1. A series or flight of steps; a staircase. Often used in the plural. 2. One of a flight of steps. [Middle English, from Old English steps, mark around hazards and obstructions (i.e., stand pipes); and some directional signage. Following the established guidelines, a property owner with one or two small buildings could install this type of PL system in a relatively short period of time, and be in compliance well before the deadline. In contrast, a building management firm or owner with multiple high-rise properties in their portfolio faces the hefty challenge of installing the PL system in each building by next summer, without disrupting tenant activity. Here, a comprehensive package that includes assessment, logistics, customized installation, and verification of compliance, would be more appropriate for the scope of the project. So far, owners/managers have correctly taken a wait and see attitude. In fact, it is recommended that they do not buy any material yet, as the city is still determining final specifications and guidelines. Still, now is the time to for owners/managers to begin evaluating their stairwell construction to help determine what PL system will provide the best life-safety benefits and the best long-term value. George Sloan is a national photoluminescent safety expert and an executive with Brady Corporation Brady Corporation is a US based multi-national company specialising in the manufacture of labels and label printers for use in offices and industry. Company History Brady was founded in 1914 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, as W.H. Brady Co. , one of the largest global manufacturers and marketers of PL evacuation systems evacuation system, n a centralized vacuum system connected to each dental operating unit, used to keep the oral cavity clear of water, saliva, blood, and debris, generally operating at a high volume, high velocity, and low pressure. . |
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