ABSTRACT
Any means of escape should be designed to take into account the form of the building, the activities of the occupants, the likelihood of fire and the potential source and spread of a fire. There is a simple general principle to be followed in the design of buildings in relation to safety and that is that any person confronted by an outbreak of fire should be able to turn away from it and make a safe escape. The enclosure to a corridor used as an escape route can be considered to afford some defence against the spread of smoke even if it does not possess recognized fire-resisting standards. Doors on escape routes must be readily openable as any undue delay in negotiating them may be critical in escaping. Escape stairs must be contained within a protected shaft or fire-resisting enclosure unless the travel distance is very short and the number of people involved very small.
