Evacuation Equipment Case Studies

Case Study – Luxury London Apartment

The Customer

The owner of a high-class penthouse apartment in one of London's most exclusive areas.

The Challenge

The apartment is the height of luxury with everything a homeowner could possibly desire. When one seemingly has everything money can buy, thoughts turn to how it can be protected.

London has witnessed terror attacks and tragic fires in recent years; these only serve to focus the mind on the fragility of life. If you have paid for one of London's most expensive properties, it is only natural to want to protect it and remain safe.

And, should the worst happen, the residents want to be able to escape quickly and safely. Since the property is on the top floor, the customer was seeking an additional escape route should the stair cases and lifts be blocked.

The Solution

The owner selected an Axel Thoms Escape Chute.

This device offers rapid fire evacuation from buildings when other escape routes are blocked. In this case the chute was installed on the roof terrace and is deployed over the railings. The chute is fully encased and contains an internal spiral, providing safe descent at a controlled speed. It is easily deployed in seconds.

Safelincs surveyed the property and installed the chute discretely and very carefully, ensuring no damage occurred to the quality surroundings.

The Axel Thoms Escape Chute can be up to 120 metres in length. It can be installed on roofs where it is covered by a weatherproof covering or can be deployed from a window. Manufactured in Germany, with fire-retardant fabrics and high tensile strength, load-bearing belts, it can support a load of up to14,500kg. The deployed chute offers the user a safe entry tunnel, which obscures the height of the chute and prevents users from panicking.

The chute is TÜV Certified and guaranteed for 15 years when serviced annually by Safelincs' specialist engineers.

The Benefit

The major benefit is the total peace of mind.

Having been able to try out the chute when it was installed, the customer is now fully conversant with its operation; if the worst happened its utilisation would hold no fear.

The images used in this case study are not from the customer's site due to the confidential nature of the install but they are similar in nature.

Case Study – Educational Academy

The Customer

This academy is a mixed school catering for pupils aged from 4 to 18. Located in the south of England it has over 1500 students and 200 staff.

The Challenge

In Autumn 2016 a new spacious, modern and contemporary two-storey primary school building was opened. Purpose-built, with extensive outdoor green space and soft and hard play areas accessible directly from the individual large classrooms, the new building has a multi-function main hall, state- of-the-art kitchen facilities, a library resource centre and space for a new nursery.

As with any public building, particularly those occupied by children, safety is paramount. A major aspect of this is fire safety, including the provision of suitable fire extinguishers and evacuation equipment.

The Solution

During the planning stages, the facilities team at the academy consulted with a representative from Safelincs to assess where the appropriate appliances should be located. Together they worked through the architect's drawings and allocated extinguishers to all areas.

As a result the academy purchased a mix of foam, powder, CO2 and wet chemical extinguishers from Safelincs. In addition they also acquired fire blankets, extinguisher cabinets, emergency exit alarms and an evacuation chair.

The Benefit

Safelincs was able to offer pertinent advice on the necessary fire precautions at an early phase in the project. The company has gained a reputation for integrity and will always look to provide the most cost effective solution for its customers and will not 'over-sell'.

The academy has benefitted from having the right extinguishers installed in the most appropriate places.

As with all fire fighting devices purchased from Safelincs, they will be replaced free of charge should they be called into use.

"I believe working so closely with Safelincs at the outset helped enabled us to make the right choices," commented the academy's procurement manager.

Case Study – City Building (Glasgow) LLP

The Customer

City Building (Glasgow) LLP is a highly successful and evolving business which has recently been recognised as one of the top 90 businesses in Scotland for employment and diversity. It has a turnover of around £200 million and is in the top 100 construction companies in the UK. It employs 2,253 people, and supports a total of 3,877 jobs through its supply chain, according to a recent Fraser of Allander Institute Report.

The Challenge

The company was responsible for the construction of a complex of eight care homes. Each had an attic area that required a compact and unobtrusive ladder to enable access for tasks such as service and maintenance.

The Solution

City Building (Glasgow) LLP chose the unique Saffold access ladder from Safelincs following a competitive procurement process. With its slim profile and sturdy construction this foldable ladder, which is used alternatively as escape or access ladder, provided the perfect solution. When the Saffold ladder is not in use, the anti-slip rungs are concealed within its own low profile. The closed ladder is only 74mm deep and has an appearance much like that of a drainpipe or cable trunking, enabling it to be inconspicuous.

The Saffold access ladder can be released from either the top or bottom by removing an anti-tamper pin or using an optional key lock. The ladder opens out away from the wall with the rungs rotating into place as the rail extends to form a sturdy, fixed access ladder. There is also an option for a pull-out handle, which allows users to access the Saffold ladder from above, maintaining their safety before and during descent. Although the Saffold ladder was originally designed for outdoor use, it is ideal for indoor application where its anodised aluminium finish looks unobtrusive and elegant.

The Benefit

The Saffold ladder offers the customer an easy-to-fit access solution which is unobtrusive and space-saving while not in use but creates an extremely sturdy and safe ladder when deployed. The ladder can be locked to stop unauthorised access.