Here, Stig B Ingstrom, Managing Director of AB Mobiltex OY attempts to answer many of the most commonly asked questions that the First-Time Buyer of escape chute would likely want to know:
Q: What is this product intended for? .. Product Types?
A: INGSTROM Escape Chute is another means of emergency exit that permits rapid, mass evacuation from high rise structures during life threatening emergencies. It is uniquely designed to provide a relatively safe and quick method of vertical escape - is always accessible and ready for use. It provides a unique solution to the problems of vertical escape in difficult conditions during emergency evacuation.
1. Single-Entry Escape Chute serves only the floor in a structure or building on which it is installed.
2. Multi-Entry Escape Chute serves every floor, similar to stairwell in a multi-floor building.
3. Movable/Portable Rescue Chute is mounted on the skylift/ladder truck for high rise rescue operations.
Q: What are they made of?
A: The chute tube is constructed of three separate layers fabrics:
Outer layer – 100% fibreglass fabric non-flammable to protect the chute from fire and it resists temperature of up to 750 degr C.
Middle layer – flexible elastic fabric acts as brake and operate effectively in a temperature range of from –45 degr C to +175 degr C).
Inner layer – Du Pont Kevlar or Enka Twaron fabric can resist temperature of up to 650 degr C. This layer supports the whole chute load and the Kevlar has the breaking strength of over 10 tons (10,000 kg).
All three layers of fabrics together are 1.8 kg approximately per running metre.
Materials used for chute construction are of EU origin and of ISO standards; the durability of chute fabrics can last for ten years, with the exception of the fiberglass coat, and subject to regular maintenance.
Each platform is constructed on a modular basis from aluminum with external dimensions of 620mm x 620mm. Any additional construction or support elements to the base plate are made from either aluminum or galvanised steel or stainless steel. In principle, all chute platforms are designed and constructed to support people with a total weight of 1 ton (1000 kg) regardless of the length of chute. The save load capacity is about 5000 kg.
Q: Is the chute detrimental to water if syringe during fire fighting?
A: No. In fact when wet it will increase the maximum operating temperature of the chute in used.
Q: Can the fabric cause friction burns?
A: Yes, if your skin is extremely sensitive. In life threatening situation, a temporary slight chafing skin is better than to lost a live. Recommended to put on long sleeved shirt and trouser.
Q: Does a person’s size or shape make any difference when using the chute? A: The standard size at the entry point of the chute opening is about 530 mm dia, person with waist size over 530 mm cannot use the chute. The factory can customize the size at the entry point of chute opening of up to 800 mm for industrial application. The INGSTROM system relies solely on body weight, and test proved that all evacuees regardless of body size, shape and weight, injured on stretcher and unconscious people, once inside the chute will arrived at ground level quickly and relatively safely.
Q: Is the chute easy to use by everyone?
It is simple to use and requires little or no user instruction during times of emergency. The evacuee sits down on the rim of the escape chute, lower himself/herself slowly into the chute. Once inside the chute, around the evacuee a kind of cocoon is formed, much likes a football in nylon stocking. The evacuee will gently slide down to the exit point of the chute, which is of “open end” and is about 80cm from the ground. To exit the evacuee’s feet will touch the ground, he/she then crouch and extract his/her body from the chute and walk away.
The system is also designed to safeguard those who are most vulnerable in an emergency: children, the elderly, the injured, and the disabled. By twisting the chute from the ground, the rescue team has means to control the chute and the speed of descends from the outside. This method enabled those evacuees who cannot control their slide to descend safely.
Q: Is it easy to breathe in the chute?
A: Yes, the chute construction provides a safe human-breathable atmosphere, not air-tight and light penetrates easily. As you travel through the escape chute in the day time it is light and airy, you can look up, and down. Yet, it protects the evacuees from flame, heat and smoke from the danger of suffocation in the process of descending.
Q: Should evacuee slide down the chute one by one? .. what are the safety measures?
A: The chute is strong enough to hold safely more than one person of average weight sliding at the same time. Nonetheless, it is recommended that one person at a time to slide down a short-length chute. A longer length of chute would enable more than one person to slide down at interval of 4 seconds after a person enters the chute.
For safety reasons, the SOP requires a helper at the ground to control a fast descend by twisting the chute so as to slow down the descend and to guide the evacuee out of the exit point of the chute quickly. To avoid collisions, ensure a safe distance of at least 10 metre between persons in the chute. To control a fast descend of a second person, the helper at the ground can twist the chute (i.e. 2 turns) between the first and the second person.
Q: How could evacuee self-control the speed of own descends?
A:Each conscious evacuee can has good grip and control own rate of descending by bending knees and bending elbows against the inner layer of chute while sliding down the chute. To use the escape chute, the user sits on the edge, with their feet and lower legs in the chute, at this point user will feel the escape chute grip his/her lower legs and gradually lower him/herself because of body weight gravity.
By pressing/pushing tightly his/her both arms and legs against the side/wall of the chute, user can hold on in that position or stop from sliding, and by relaxing his/her both arms and legs, user will slide down through the chute.
By relaxing the pressure against the wall user will then descend:
Increase pressure = SLOW DOWN
Relax pressure = SPEED UP
User has control of his/her decend speed.
Average speed for evacuee with right behaviour is about 2.5 m per second. It would take approximately 35 – 40 seconds to descend a chute of up to 50 metres length. A maximum of 30 persons a minute can be evacuated at height from fire or danger.
Another method of regulating the speed of descend is to have a helper at the ground twisting the chute at full length and by slowly untwisting the chute to guide the evacuee to descend gradually. This method enable injured on stretcher, unconscious or disabled people and small children to be transported down safely and quickly.
Q: Can a person be injured in the chute?
A: Yes, injuries can occur if an evacuee descends too quickly and if there is no helper at the ground to slow that person down. A collision or rough landing at the floor may occur at the exit point of chute. Although the escape chute will not guarantee one from getting injured during evacuation, it will certainly be able to bring those people unable to use stairs to the ground quickly and relatively safely. With frequent practice in drills, occupants will even feel safer descending down the long chute than negotiating the long flight of stairs during mass evacuation in emergencies.
Q: Can one be absolutely safe in the INGSTROM Escape Chute?
A: Yes, when there is a helper at the ground to guide the evacuation operation. In addition, the users need to follow simple safety guidelines and have some awareness of the principles of operations. Once inside the chute, the evacuee will have a feeling of body being completely supported by the chute and as soon as the evacuee discover to control the speed of descend, one will feel safe and secure. Evacuee will even feel safer than negotiating the long flight of stairs during mass evacuation in emergencies. To exit evacuee’s feet will touch the ground, he/she then crouch and extract his/her body from the chute and walk away.
As in all evacuation plans, first responders, building managers and even tenants would be trained and drilled in how to deploy the system and use the chute safely. Inside the building a fire warden issues directives to the evacuees, giving the go-ahead when it is safe for the next person to enter the chute. At ground a fire warden assist the evacuees to get out the chute quickly and direct them to move away to the "safe" gathering place(s). Inter-com system or walkie-talkies are used for better communication and coordination between the fire warden inside the building and the fire warden at the ground. This way, the evacuation process will be well coordinated and more people can get down rapidly. Regular practice during drill will ensure that the last great barrier to access, egress is overcome for all!
Q: Is INGSTROM Escape Chute laboratory tested? .. If so, where and when? A: Currently, there is no standard in the world for the design and construction of escape chutes or similar devices. INGSTROM Escape Chute tested by The Josef Tuliszkowski Scientific and Research Centre for Fire Protection, Warsaw, Poland, and is approval for use as "escape chute". The chute has also got a list of international approvals and recommendations from participation fire academy worldwide.
Q: What is the maximum length of the escape chute?
A: From two stories up to high-rise:
(1) Single-Entry Escape Chute - 200 metre
The longest length installed to-date is 142 metre at Intraco Building, Warsaw – Poland.
(2) Multi-Entry Escape Chute – no constraint of length or building height.
The tallest building installed to-date is 152 metre at Nation Tower, Bangkok – Thailand. (3) Movable/Portable Rescue – depend on the length and height of elevation.
The longest length in used to date is 66m for Bronto-Sklift fire truck.
Q:Is there any technical limitation or constraint for the installation of chute? A: Yes. As the system works on the principle of “stress and friction vertical descend method”, the chute need to flow vertically and free from obstruction to a clear landing point at ground. AB Mobiltex OY, the manufacturer of INGSTROM Escape Chute has technical solutions applicable to most building. For existing building, the system needs to be installed at a site that have a clear landing point to ground or to another void floor leading to final exit. For this reason, site survey is needed and drawings of the building should be provided to custom-made chute to suit each installation site. The system can be incorporated into the new building design when planning for means of egress.
Q:Can the same chute be “ worthy for reused” after it has being used for mass emergency evacuation?
A: With regular maintenance, the chute fabrics can last for more than 10 years when unused for mass evacuation, with the exception of the fiberglass coat. The same chute would need to be inspected by factory representative after being used for mass emergency evacuation. It may need to be repaired to become worthy condition for re-used in the next evacuation. If the chute have saves many lives, it will have been worth it to replace with new chute.
Q: What is the difference between “spiral descend/slope descend” method and “vertical descend” method?
A:
Storage – Because the spiral wire sewn to the fabric is critical, retrieving, folding and storing the chute tube in proper order after each use would need to be done with extreme care. It takes more time to do that in comparison to vertical descend system, which only takes a few minutes.
Ease of Use – The spiral/slope descend method does require some conscious effort by evacuees to escape. This may be a problem if a person were to collapse and become unconscious during their descend. If that unconscious person has a large body or heavy in weight, the chute tube could be blocked. On the other hand, the vertical system relies solely on body weight, and test proved that all evacuees regardless of body size, shape and weight, injured on stretcher and unconscious people, once inside the chute tube will arrived at ground level quickly and relatively safely.
Q:What is the difference between a chute “that has a series of stainless steel coiled springs sewn into the fabric”, and the other “that uses braking coat spuncell fabric”, both at middle layers that intend to allow users to self-control his/her own speed of descend?
A:
Storage – Because the series of “stainless steel coiled springs sewn into the fabric” is critical, retrieving, folding and storing the chute tube in proper order after each use would need to be done with extreme care. It takes more time to do that in comparison to the chute tube that uses “braking coat spuncell fabric”, which only takes a few minutes.
Ease of Use – When the user slide down the chute tube of the “series of stainless steel coiled springs sewn into the fabric”, he/she will encounter the friction feeling against the inner layer and also the rubbing feeling of spring from the middle layer too. For the chute tube that uses “braking coat spuncell fabric”, the user will encounter a little friction feeling against the inner layer and the hugging feeling of elastomer from the middle layer when sliding down the chute tube. In addition, a helper at the ground can twist the chute at full length and by slowly untwisting the chute to guide the evacuee to descend gradually.
Q:Should an escape tube construction consist of “wire sewn” or “series of stainless steel coiled springs sewn” into the fabric?
A: For safety reason, it is not advisable to have “wire sewn” or “series of stainless steel coiled springs sewn” into the fabric as part of the escape tube construction. The wire or the steel spring sewn into the fabric to form the chute tube construction could give way due to the wear and tear. This could cause injury to users during the sliding down the chute tube. In addition, it is not easy to repair or replace the wire or the steel spring that is damaged. Preferably, the fabrics used to form the chute tube construction should be fully woven without having any metal materials sewn into the fabrics, with the exception to the round ring at the entry point of the chute tube.
Q:What are some considerations for First-Time Buyer of escape chute?
A:When available, ask your vendor to provide testing and commissioning of chute installations, training to users, product’s country of origin certificate, test certificate, operating manuals, product warranty and product liability insurance, and after sales service – maintenance package.
Q:Why is INGSTROM Escape Chute more expensive in comparison to the other makes of escape chutes that are available in the market?
A: INGSTROM Escape Chute does not come cheap in comparison to the other variations of escape chutes because of the specialized materials used in the construction of the chute tube and its built-in safety features for its unique application tailor to each building needs. We do not sell a product “off-the-peg”; we are selling a solution to a problem. We prefer to target our services wherever possible. Just as each building presents its own unique problems, so our provision to each solution should reflect those needs. Site surveys can reveal the exact strategic location for each chute installation that building requires.
Q:Where are the escape chutes being installed?
A:They are installed at multi-storey buildings from 2 storey upward to high
rise buildings:
Government Buildings; Public Buildings; Security Buildings; Facilities; Embassies; Office Buildings; Apartments; Condominiums; Hospitals; Healthcare Centres; Homes for the Elderly, Children, Handicapped; Shopping Malls.
Escape chutes are also installed for industrial applications:
Nuclear Power Plants, Chemical Plants.
Bridge Crane, Tower Crane, etc.
Ammunition Plants and similar location.
Space Rocket Launching Pads.
Textile Wet Curtain Technology.
Monorail systems.
Giant mining and dirt moving equipment.
Ferries, Offshore Rigs.
Silos, Chemical/Gas Storage Tanks.
Communication Towers, Tower Control Centers.
Aerial Ladder Truck or Skylift platforms.
Warehouse/Logistic Dumping Chute.
Theatre involving aerial stunts.
Portfolio/Profile: Mr. Stig B Ingström developed the concept of “The Ingström Escape Chute” ® that allow people from tall structure to slide down to the ground. The product and trade name patented and first marketed by AB Ingström & Co OY (the inventor's company) in 1982. Mr. Stig B Ingström, a Finnish-Swede, who has been a specialist in the textile industry for over forty years and in 1982 he focused on the production and marketing of the Ingström Escape Chute® system worldwide. Mr. Stig B Ingström is determined to make AB Mobiltex OY not just the world’s largest escape chute producer, but the safest.
