On the safe evacuation of occupants in multiplex facilities

Purpose - The objective of this paper is to investigate approaches pertaining to the safe evacuation of occupants from multiplex facilities during fire emergencies. Design/methodology/approach - The paper analyzes the published literature for the purpose of identifying the frequent causes of ignition in multiplex facilities and examining the set of factors that render multiplex facilities to be high-risk facilities in fire emergences. The paper then describes the set of prescriptive international building regulations for the means of egress in public assembly facilities, as being the thresholds of the minimum safety levels that are acceptable to society; and presents a set of proposed guidelines for facility managers to observe in their day-to-day operation of multiplex facilities. Findings - The paper has established that multiplex facilities are high-risk buildings in fire emergencies. The role of facilities managers in the operation and maintenance stages of multiplex facilities has been discussed for the purposes of achieving safe evacuation of occupants and improved crowd management. Originality/value - This paper provides for a better comprehension of the roles of design professional and facility managers involved in the design and operation of multiplex facilities in the provision and maintenance of adequate means of egress in such facilities.