Emergency “Shelter In Place” Considerations for high-Rise Buildings

A high-rise condo or commercial building can represent a community of thousands. That vertical community, otherwise known as a high-rise building typically has one HVAC System designed to bring in fresh air. This blog will provide Building Owners and Managers some considerations to enhance the emergency management program that protects your “vertical” community - For hazards that can be outside your high-rise - but threaten both your occupants and staff.

What is an emergency Shelter-in-Place?

When a community issues a “Shelter-in-place” notice through social media, local news outlets, and / or an emergency alert system, it is a precaution to help keep the public safe by remaining indoors, where a danger or hazard exists – outside.  The Shelter In Place order will likely be accompanied by specific event details and hazards to better inform the community.

In the event of an emergency in your community, such as the accidental or intentional release of dangerous goods into the atmosphere of something “dangerous” (chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear contaminants), persons in the impacted area, or even down wind of the impacted area may  be instructed to shelter-in-place Indoors. The public will be advised to stay away from the area. Shelter In Place orders are issued numerous times a year in communities across Ontario due to fires, transportation mishaps, chemical spills and other emergencies.

Why ‘Shelter-in-Place’ instead of Evacuating?

In some cases sheltering-in-place might be safer than evacuating a building. Remaining inside can provide a level of protection from exposure to hazardous airborne contaminants, providing building staff know how to further protect the building and occupants. Building Owners of High-Rise buildings should already have detailed Emergency Response plans that identify both Emergency evacuation AND Shelter In Place considerations.

What should building Supervisory Staff be doing during a “Shelter In Place” order that impacts their high-rise?

The following are provided as considerations to enhance your preparedness and response strategies;

- Cease any work and hazardous processes and confirm the order and that it applies to your area.

- Consider using the building’s emergency voice communications system to inform Occupants. Always use pre scripted communications that promote a controlled message with clear requested actions of occupants.

- Warn occupants as they leave your building about the potential hazards and the community “shelter in place”. Do not restrict persons from leaving the building.

- Consider isolating any fresh air intakes to prevent the hazard outside the building from being sucked in. (This means building staff must know how to do this. Do they? A High-rise building can represent a vertical community of thousands and the air intakes can be in several different areas in a high-rise.)

- Close all doors, windows and any other openings to the outside.

- Consider other building mechanical systems such as fans, heating and air-conditioning systems that supply fresh air. Smoke and odours that can enter the building can have long lasting damage and cause costly remediation.

- In cases of a chemical related concern, “building staff” offices are often located below ground, try to seek shelter in “above ground” rooms to protect from low lying vapours that may seek out, and collect in low lying areas in your building.

  - Listen to media and / or municipal social media channels for further instructions from authorities.  

- Provide tenants / occupants regular updates.

- And many other considerations to protect employees and occupants in high-rise buildings.

 These events occur, and its important that the staff responsible for life safety of high rise buildings are trained on their important roles and responsibilities in the event of a community hazard - outside the building.

If you need any help, please let us know. 

NLS Group is a team of facility fire safety and workplace crisis management experts established to ensure greater public safety. We uniquely achieve this by utilizing leadership and experience from both the private, and public sector, utilizing the principles of emergency management in everyday business and facility operations.

www.nationallifesafetygroup.ca