Means of Escape (MoE)

Means of escape in case of fire means the provision of a safe route or routes from any part of a building to a final exit or place of safety, enabling the person to escape from fire or smoke by his/her own unaided efforts.

Once a fire has been detected and a warning given, everyone in the property concerned should be able to evacuate without being placed at undue risk.

Regardless of the location of a fire, once people are aware of it they should be able to proceed safely along a recognisable escape route, to a place of safety. In order to achieve this, it may be necessary to protect the route, i.e. by providing fire-resisting construction. A protected route may also be necessary in workplaces providing sleeping accommodation or care facilities.

How can IFC help?

Experience has proven that we are able to offer cost and time saving advice on these issues such as the necessity for sprinklers, structural fire protection, extended travel distances, appropriateness of fire resistance periods desired by Building Control, rationalisation of staircase provisions, negotiations, etc.