Exit Exposure – Hazard Assessment Presentation

Presentation Overview

This presentation offers a different take on the assessment of exit exposure conditions. Typically, the Acceptable Solution for the Protection of Exit Facilities, Article 3.2.3.13, requires exit and egress paths to be either separated by 3 m distance from unprotected openings or the openings are required to be provided with an opening protective, such as a water curtain or wired glass element. This Acceptable Solution is noted to limit the probability that an exit path will not be blocked by the effects of fire. However, as more and more buildings are provided with automatic fire sprinkler systems, this Acceptable Solution does not consider any further allowances for such systems.

The presentation will outline a high level an exit exposure hazard assessment methodology that is based on good fire engineering practices and first principles. The methodology can be used to describe and estimate radiative heat transfer from unprotected openings, within sprinklered buildings, to an occupant that is passing by in order to determine whether or not a hazard is present. The presentation will outline high level concepts for how estimate occupant exposure times to thermal radiation from an opening and how to develop quantifiable hazard acceptance criteria.

The methodology can be used to allow for more architectural freedom, help reduce overall construction costs, support more sustainable construction practices and aid in improving affordability.

Speaker bio

Stefan Germann is registered as a Professional Engineer in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Ontario, and has been involved with Building Code Compliance and Fire Safety since 2011. Stefan spent the first 5 years of his career as a Building Official in Saskatchewan, before moving to New Zealand where he was first exposed to fire engineering in a private consultancy. During his time as an engineering consultant he has worked on a variety of building projects in the health care, detention, commercial, industrial, education and the aviation sectors, which utilized both Acceptable Solutions compliance pathways and performance based fire engineering design. Stefan completed his BASc at the University of Regina and has since obtained continuing education certificates for NFPA 101: Life Safety Code and NFPA 13: Standards for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, and is currently studying towards his M.Eng, at the University of Waterloo in Fire Safety Engineering.