Lawrence Webster Forrest
Legion House
Lower Road
Kenley
Surrey
CR8 5NH

Tel: +44 (0)20 8668 8663 Fax: +44 (0)20 8668 8583
E-mail: fire@lwf.co.uk

QATAR EDUCATION CITY CONVENTION CENTRE
Key Facts: Client: Qatar Petroleumrn Contractor: Baytur Construction and Contracting Co. Designer: RSA Design Group Approximate Size: 79...

ARC13 Human Behaviour in Building Design:-

Arc13 Human Behaviour in Building Design

"The concept of panic tends to be used as a way of blaming the public after an event as a "let-out clause" for anyone in an official capacity (e.g. Architect, Engineer, Designer etc.), who might have accepted responsibility for the loss of life". (Sime 1980) Disasters are rare, and the number of deaths compared with the accumulated death through other activities is relatively low. However, the psychological, social and political effect is very damaging. Disasters in recent times have highlighted the need for appraisal of human behaviour, safety management and communication. This is demonstrated through a growth towards the incorporation of human factors and management into modern building design. The incoming BS 7974, which will replace the DD 240, includes a fire safety management section. Also in the foreword in the "Appraisal of Sports Grounds" (IStructE, 1991) it recommends an understanding of crowd and human management in both normal and emergency situations. As architects and engineers, we are responsible for setting the attitudes for human understanding, management and communication.