Rank: Super forum user 
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I have encountered a statement in our office emergency response plan,which is :
"Generally toilet is the best place to go if you can neither go down nor go up for escaping"
I don't know the logic behind of this statement. our office is located in 7th floor of an high rise building, please give me your thought
SHV
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Rank: Super forum user
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Becuase finding yourself trapped in a burning building would make someone have certain urges to go to the toilet, if you know what I mean???
...sorry to be so flippant ;-)
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Rank: Forum user
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Could it be that if you're most certainly trapped, it is a known location with a window to the outside that may aid emergency services to faciltate a rescue? Or that it is designated by design part of compartmentilization?.
That is, that the rescue services a) know the locations of the toilets from the outside and b) they can be sure anyone not accounted for is there c) people know this is the procedure.
It would appear you may need to speak to the author of the escape plan for their reasoning behind such a statement or reasses the plan to something more realistic
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Some buildings (not all) have toilets located at "core" areas usually including stairwells and lift shafts etc and can offer a better degree of fire protection that other areas.
On the downside, (a) many of these designs don't have windows and there is a lesser likelihood of being seen and therefore rescued (7th floor though is a big ask for the Fire Service!) and (b) it's going to get a bit crowded is it not?
The proper focus of course will be on the actual risk of persons being unable to access multiple safe egress routes. You will no doubt have any PEEP issues covered already.
No doubt someone, sometime thought this was a good thing to say.
If the statement now lacks any sort of ownership or validity, the simple expedient is to have it removed.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Was this a product of a fire risk assessment? If so what is the reason?
The number one priority is to ensure the means of escape is suitable and any plans for evacuation must be to get everyone OUT of the premises safely.
OK if the toilet/s is/are designated refuges with the required fire resistance, communications with the outside etc. then it would be acceptable, if not then that part of the evacuation procedure needs to be looked at again.
I suggest ask to see the fire risk assessment and look at that part of the assessment. If it is out of date it needs to be updated.
Is the toilet near a starcase as Ron suggests? If not then be wary!
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Rank: Super forum user
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Rank: Super forum user
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Clairel wrote:Becuase finding yourself trapped in a burning building would make someone have certain urges to go to the toilet, if you know what I mean???
...sorry to be so flippant ;-) Not very helpful Clairel ????????????????????????????????????
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Rank: Super forum user
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Trapped in a burning building...Clairel may have a point if that's the best escape plan to hand. How long has it been since the plan was drawn up and reviewed?
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Rank: Super forum user
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ChrisBurns wrote:Clairel wrote:Becuase finding yourself trapped in a burning building would make someone have certain urges to go to the toilet, if you know what I mean???
...sorry to be so flippant ;-) Not very helpful Clairel ???????????????????????????????????? I see you haven't changed Chris. I suggested that a remark you made on another thread was unhelpful and so you feel a need to throw the same remark back at me. A bit childish perhaps? I acknowledged at the time that my post was just a flippant remark intended to be humorous and not intended to be helpful. Last time I looked H&S practitioners weren't banned from having a sense of humour.
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Rank: Super forum user
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I have never come across a means of escape which states go up!
Horizontally yes but never up.
Is there not a protected stair well ?
SBH
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Hi SHV,
Where abouts in the Middle East are you? I might help us to help you if we know what country's laws we are dealing with.
On seperate note, you have to have a sense of humour in this job to stop yourself going insane!
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Rank: Super forum user
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What's good for the goose etc. etc.
One man's meat is another man's etc.
Sense of humour definitely required, but I know sarcasm doesn't really help.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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SBH wrote:I have never come across a means of escape which states go up!
Horizontally yes but never up.
SBH Up escape routes? there's plenty around. There's a recent thread on this site that talks about shared MOEs over rooftops, plus how do you escape from a basement area. I think this is a middle east approach as the UK strategy relies on providing an alternative MOE or by protecting single direction escape routes. (failure of this strategy is not usually considered - perhaps it should be??????) From a common sense point of view, perhaps the loos are the best in some buildings (for reasons already given), but in my experience, fire crews will concentrate their resources in occupied areas of a building, & search a toilet area last when trying to locate trapped victims
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Rank: Super forum user
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Remember also that toilets are usually considered sterile with regards to combustible materials.
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Rank: Forum user
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Hard one to judge not knowing the building layout, however as mentioned there are plenty of means of escapes that go up to the roof and along into the adjourning building (London have loads).
If they cannot go up or down, then the so called protected staircase has been compromised? 7th floor, so a alternative means of escape should be in place?
What are the chances of (if there are 2) both means of escape being made non accessible in event of fire, is there scope to have safe refuge areas with voice communication system?
I would do a review, as it may just need re-addressing.
Ron gives the best possibilities in why this may have been included in the past.
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Rank: Forum user
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Clairel wrote:ChrisBurns wrote:Clairel wrote:Becuase finding yourself trapped in a burning building would make someone have certain urges to go to the toilet, if you know what I mean???
...sorry to be so flippant ;-) Not very helpful Clairel ???????????????????????????????????? I see you haven't changed Chris. I suggested that a remark you made on another thread was unhelpful and so you feel a need to throw the same remark back at me. A bit childish perhaps? I acknowledged at the time that my post was just a flippant remark intended to be humorous and not intended to be helpful. Last time I looked H&S practitioners weren't banned from having a sense of humour. That was my first thought Clairel, helpful or not. I dont care!!!
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Rank: Super forum user
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Up escape routes? there's plenty around. There's a recent thread on this site that talks about shared MOEs over rooftops, plus how do you escape from a basement area.
Never seen a basement on the seventh floor
SBH
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Rank: Super forum user
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It's quite possible that the instruction to stay in the bathroom is because the door to the office/room is not fire stopping. Ever noticed when in the Med that there's an inch missing of the bottom of your hotel door? That's deliberate!
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