Examination of the (In)Adequate Design of Fire Evacuation Routes for Wheelchair Occupants in Existing Healthcare Facilities
摘要
The main aim of the research is to analyze whether the architectural design of a healthcare facility should consider the detailed design of fire escape exit routes within a healthcare facility based on the mobility level of wheelchair occupants rather than just fulfilling the existing recommendations and regulations in terms of the design of the building. For qualitative research, a case study of existing healthcare facility in Bosnia and Herzegovina is chosen. The findings demonstrated that the mobility level of wheelchair occupants who are exposed to the risk of inhaling smoke and other combustion byproducts—which can also affect occupants’ ability to navigate—weren’t taken into consideration during the design of the fire escape exit routes within the analyzed Building X.