Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #121782

Jake Pauls, CPE, Consulting Services in Building Use and Safety, 12507 Winexburg Manor Drive, Suite 201, Silver Spring, MD 20906, (301) 933-5275, bldguse@aol.com

In April and June 2005, draft final reports (totaling some 10,000 pages) were released by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology on its investigation of the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster. NIST's reports dealing with occupant behavior and evacuation are critically assessed with regard to investigator responsiveness to human factors (ergonomics) issues, especially those amenable to control using building codes and safety standards plus building and emergency management procedures. This assessment is made from the perspective of international research extending over 38 years plus past, current and ongoing responsibilities to implement safety measures through improved model building codes and safety standards as a representative of APHA on several national committees. Additional perspectives include responsibilities on the Professional Advisory Panel for the Skyscraper Safety Campaign, one of the WTC family/advocacy groups as well as partnering in ongoing, WTC evacuation research by a three-university consortium from the UK.

Key findings include behaviors of WTC occupants that expedited, delayed or complicated evacuation. Surprising, even troubling findings are reported on occupant demographics, including relatively small number of occupants (about 40 percent of full occupancy); several percent of surveyed occupants reporting disabilities impacting evacuation down exit stairways; and relatively low speeds and flows. Evacuation complications warranting further study, plus changes to building design and emergency response procedures, include disruptive counterflow with emergency responders ascending exit stairways.

Also reported are first responses to the WTC disaster in standards/code-development activities of the National Fire Protection Association during mid 2005, including requirements for increased exit widths.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand effective activities, for injury mitigation, in World Trade Center evacuations. Apply findings to building design, regulation, management and occupant use. Optimize methods for future scientific study and surveillance.

Keywords: Disasters, Ergonomics

Related Web page: wtc.nist.gov/

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commertial supporters WITH THE EXCEPTION OF the National Fire Protection Assn. within which I serve as a member of several technical, technical correlating and advisory committees voluntarily representing APHA. NFPA pays some of the associated travel expenses..

Recorded presentation