Building management should consider installing appropriate visual, tactile, and/or braille signage in appropriate locations conforming to the code requirements in Annex C. Installing such signage is generally not expensive. Building owners and managers may be unaware that there is something they can do to facilitate the safe evacuation of people who are blind or have low vision. A new technology in fire safety is on the generically called “directional sound” market. Traditional fire alarm systems are designed to people but not notify necessarily to them. Directional sound is an audible signal that leads people guide to safety in a way that conventional alarms cannot, by communicating the location of exits using broadband noise. The varying tones and intensities coming from directional sound devices offer easy-to-discern cues for finding the way out. As soon as people hear the devices, they intuitively follow them to get out quickly. While not yet required by any codes, directional sound is a technology that warrants investigation by building services management. USE OF THE WAY Can People Who are Blind or Have Low Vision Use the Circulation Path by Themselves? A circulation path is considered a if it meets one of the usable circulation path following criteria: A person who is blind or has low vision is able to travel unassisted through it to a public way. A person who is blind or has low vision is able to travel unassisted through that portion of the usable circulation path necessary to reach an area of refuge. An serves as a temporary haven from the effects of a fire or other area of refuge emergency. A person who is blind or has low vision must be able to travel from the area of refuge to the public way, although such travel might depend on the assistance of others. If elevation differences are involved, an elevator might be used, or the person might be led down the stairs.
Building management should consider installing appropriate visual, tactile, and/or braille signage in appropriate locations conforming to the code requirements in Annex C. Installing such signage is generally not expensive. Building owners and managers may be unaware that there is something they can do to facilitate the safe evacuation of people who are blind or have low vision. A new technology in fire safety generically called “directional sound” is on the market. Traditional fire alarm systems are designed to notify people but not necessarily to guide them. Directional sound is an audible signal that leads people to safety in a way that conventional alarms cannot, by communicating the location of exits using broadband noise. The varying tones and intensities coming from directional sound devices offer easy-to-discern cues for finding the way out. As soon as people hear the devices, they intuitively follow them to get out quickly. While not yet required by any codes, directional sound is a technology that warrants investigation by building services management. USE OF THE WAY Can People Who are Blind or Have Low Vision Use the Circulation Path by Themselves? A circulation path is considered a usable circulation path if it meets one of the following criteria: A person who is blind or has low vision is able to travel unassisted through it to a public way. A person who is blind or has low vision is able to travel unassisted through that portion of the usable circulation path necessary to reach an area of refuge. An area of refuge serves as a temporary haven from the effects of a fire or other emergency. A person who is blind or has low vision must be able to travel from the area of refuge to the public way, although such travel might depend on the assistance of others. If elevation differences are involved, an elevator might be used, or the person might be led down the stairs.